The Beast and The Butterfly
by karategirl666
Summary: After a failed suicide attempt, Dr. Lecter takes Abigail Hobbs on as his charge and student in the ways of darkness. Will be novel length. Eventual romance. Action. Adventure. And of course Very very bloody. Bon apatite!
1. An Attempt

**The Beast and The Butterfly**

_By: Karategirl666_

_Disclaimer: I own nothing I just twisted it to my liking…_

_Warning: Some spoilers, if you aren't caught up with the show don't read this fic thank you._

-o-

Chapter 1

-o-

"What do you think Alana was talking about when she said Abigail has changed?" Will asked as they got out of the car.

"No idea." Hannibal said. "But we shall see soon won't we?" He asked.

"I'm a little nervous."

"You're always nervous." Hannibal said.

"So?" Will asked and Hannibal smiled at his defensiveness. "Do you think she's changed for the better or for the worst?"

"Nothing could be worse…" Hannibal said as they walked inside and signed the sign in sheet.

"I don't like change."

"I know Will." He said trying to withhold a smirk. They walked down the calming hallways and got to Abigail's door and gave a knock.

"I'm sleeping!" She yelled and Hannibal smiled. "Go away!" he opened the door and he heard her sigh as he walked in. Both Will and Hannibal came to a stop seeing a red head instead of Abigail sitting on the ground painting her wall. "I said go away." She turned and they both tilted their heads as she stood quickly. "Oh I thought you two were one of the nurses… They've been bugging me non stop the past few days." She said.

"Your hair is different." Will said pointing and Hannibal looked him over for a moment.

"Uhm yeah… I dyed it." She said running her fingers through the red hair. "The nurses and Dr. Bloom are all very concerned." She said with a cynical laugh.

"Some would say you're escaping your past." Hannibal said.

"Some would say I've been wanting to dye my hair for years but my dad never allowed me to gee I wonder why." She said with sheer sarcasm. "If my mom was still around you could ask her, she would tell you I wanted red hair more than anything…"

"You're painting your wall?" Hannibal asked and she looked over her shoulder.

"Yes." She said looking back to him.

"Are you allowed?" Hannibal asked.

"No."

"Why are you doing it then?"

"Because I'm sick of mint and lavender… It's dismal and not at all calming it sets my teeth on edge." Hannibal tilted his head. There was definitely a change in Abigail. She was no longer shaky or teary eyed but shaky and irritated. "I hate this place." His expression softened as did hers as she looked off with a small sigh. "It's not doing me any good to be here, these girls here they're out of their fucking minds."

"Language." Hannibal scolded and she shifted on her feet.

"You're here because Alana thinks you still need to be here." Will said.

"Well I don't think I need to be here anymore, the girls here are crazy, Bethany down the hall slams her own head into walls, every three AM I'm hearing womp womp womp… Then she starts crying." She said pacing. "And I'm like well what the hell do expect when you slam your head against the wall… Then there's Avery, she paces the hallways talking to her little imaginary friends, did I mention those imaginary friends are her dead siblings she killed in a house fire she set! Group with these people is like a crazed jerry springer show, I don't belong here! I know I have problems these girls don't! Have you heard of third monkey syndrome?" she asked turning to them. "Have you?"

"Yes but how did you hear about it?" Will asked.

"Snuck into Doctor Clarksons office with some of his other books."

"Abigail." Hannibal said.

"I gave them back after I read them… He didn't even miss them… Doubt he even reads them… I'm just so bored here there's nothing to do."

"There's your online classes." Hannibal said.

"I've taken and passed all the classes allowed in a six month period."

"You've only been here for two months." Will said.

"Again I say I'm bored, and they're surprised when I jump the wall… When can I leave here?" she asked.

"You're still jumping the wall?" Will asked and Abigail shifted on her feet.

"Abigail, Will asked you a question."

"Sometimes." She muttered.

"You've missed curfew six times in two months and now your continuing to the jump the wall?" Will asked.

"I thought we agreed you weren't going to do that anymore." Hannibal said with a disapproving look she had to glance away from.

"I thought you said I was going to get out of here." She muttered.

"It's only been two months."

"Well it's two months too long!" She shouted and both jumped. "You two say you're going to help me then help me and get me the fuck out of here!"

"Take a seat." Hannibal said with a point and he watched as she stared him down. "Abigail. Take. A. Seat."

"No." his jaw clenched. She was testing him, he knew it was going to happen eventually, still he wasn't prepared. "I don't want to be here anymore…" She said softly.

"You have to stay here you don't have anywhere else to go." Will said.

"Not true…" She said. "Freddy has offered me a room in her house…"

"Freddy?" Will asked. "The reporter?" She nodded.

"So we could work more closely on the book…" She said.

"I thought you weren't doing that." Will stated.

"It's not about the crimes or my dad…" Abigail explained. "It's about the after stuff, like a memoir… The only thing I'll mention about my dad is him slitting my throat." She said. "I'll keep you two out of it, she said I could use different names…"

"Let's get back to you moving in with her. You are a minor." Will said.

"I turn eighteen in two months." She said.

"What will you do for work?" Hannibal asked.

"Freddy has gotten me a job in archives at her office, I'm good with math so she thinks I'll be great at it…"

"Abigail you don't have to do that-."

"Clearly I do." She said cutting off Hannibal. "The families have taken everything, and you know what they deserve it." She said. "Everything I had planned for my future is gone." She said. "Six months ago I had a full ride to Cornell! I just got a letter telling me they've revoked my scholarship. Citing extreme extenuating circumstances, and the other places I can afford with financial aid and loans my dad killed girls at. My options are slim to none." She said. "Actually they're just none."

"You feel like a caged animal-."

"I am a caged animal Hannibal!" She said. "This is my cage!" she said motioning to the room. "Get out." She said walking back to the wall and sitting down to paint. "I don't even know why you two came… You clearly just want me to rot in here like everyone else… I would have been better off if you had just let me bleed out." Hannibal looked her over for a long moment before looking to the ground.

"Come on Will… Today isn't a good day." Hannibal said as he pulled Will from the room.

"Consider no days a good day for you two to visit." Hannibal looked over his shoulder at Abigail as he slowly closed the door.

"We have to do something." Will said.

"I know… You talk to Alana… I'll talk to Dr. Clarkson."

-o-

Hannibal stood at a tree. He was waiting for the inevitable. For Abigail to come over the fence of the institution. He had talked to Dr. Clarkson, and found his old collegue un wanting to let Abigail go. Saying that she may even need to stay long after her eighteenth birthday, and he was already preparing the paperwork to do so. After all she was a ward of the state and if deemed mentally incompetent could be seized by the institution.

He heard the sound of clinking metal and watched as Abigail scaled the fence and flipped over the side like a champ. She landed easily and looked around her hands diving deep into her pockets before she started to move forward. He followed her for a long time through the woods, all the while wondering where she was going or what she was going to do. Then she came to a stop by a lake and sat down. He watched as she took her boots off and set them neatly to the side before taking her socks off and neatly putting them in her shoes. She rolled her pant legs up and he watched as she slowly sunk her feet into the water with a content look before opening up her messenger bag and pulling out a notebook.

He tilted his head before slowly moving forward. When he got right behind her he watched her shoulders stiffen telling him she knew he was there. Maybe not who he was, but she knew all the same that there was a presence.

"Hannibal?" She asked and he tilted his head before smiling and moving to her side.

"Hello Abigail." She watched as he went to sit down.

"No." she said and he looked to her. "You'll wrinkle your clothes." He smiled softly.

"For you I'd wrinkle every piece of clothing in my wardrobe…" he said as he slowly sat down next to her.

"What are you doing out here?" She asked quietly her notebook to her chest.

"What are you doing out here?"

"I asked you first."

"But I asked you in return…" She slowly looked to him.

"I come here to think and get away." She said. "Sometimes I feed the fish."

"There's a sign that says to not feed the fish."

"They could starve…" She said quietly and he smiled as he looked her over. He was still having to get used to the red hair, but in all honesty he thought the look suited her. It didn't look atrocious fake or out there like the hair of the reporter. Instead of tight rings of precise curls. Abigail's hair rolled around her in soft waves. She looked completely natural. "So… What are you doing out here?"

"Isn't it obvious?"

"You followed me?" She asked and he nodded. "Why?"

"Isn't that obvious as well?"

"Not to me." She said and he could tell she was being honest.

"I was worried about you Abigail."

"Well you can see I'm fine… So…"

"You promised me you wouldn't sneak out."

"I didn't promise…" She said quietly.

"Symantec's Abigail." He said and she looked down with a near ashamed look.

"Well you promised you'd get me out of that hell hole."

"It's not so bad."

"You don't live there."

"No… You're right I don't." he said.

"I hate it there." She said with pure sorrow on her face.

"I know. I'm working on getting you out."

"No you're not." He looked her over.

"Abigail do you not trust me?" He asked. "Remember what I said about trust…" She slowly looked to him.

"What are you going to do? Make me disappear like you tried to make-."

"I would never hurt you." He said cutting her off.

"I don't believe that…" She said looking to the water. "My father said the same thing and now I have this ugly scar on my neck that proves he didn't mean it. I wish you had just let me bleed out that day…"

"Do you want to hurt yourself Abigail?"

"Don't analyze me, I'm sick of being analyzed." She said her notebook still held firmly to her chest.

"Can I see what you're working on?" he asked.

"So you can analyze my drawings, no thank you…"

"So they're drawings?" He asked with a smile and she slowly looked to him. "I draw too."

"I know I saw them in your office."

"Let me see."

"They're not as good."

"They don't have to be."

"I don't want to."

"Abigail." She sighed heavily and slowly handed it over.

"Don't judge me they're just… Scratching's…" Hannibal stayed quiet as he flipped through the lined note book that was filled with drawing that well exceeded the talents of a seventeen year old. In all honesty when it came to portraits, animals, and nature her drawings were far ahead of his.

"These are very good." He said with a smile and she slowly looked to him. "You're very talented."

"My dad hated them…" She said holding the notebook to her chest. "Anytime he found one of my drawings he burnt it in front of me…" She confided softly. "He burned anything he didn't like when it came to me… Clothes, shoes, makeup, even books… I was enthralled in this book by John Knowles called a separate piece. I read it bit by bit and hid it in the floor boards of my room along with some other things." He looked to her. "Then one day I came home from school and he had found my secret space… I had nothing bad in there… No drugs, nothing like that… just an art kit and some books… he burned them right there and then… I never did get to finish that book…" She said softly. "I never understood why he did that… why he made me dress the way I dressed, or where my hair the way I did, then he took me hunting and I understood."

"Hunting?" he asked. "For stag?" He watched a tear slowly moved down her cheek.

"H-he took me out to the cabin and I was so excited because he never took me hunting…" She said softly. "He said that girls weren't fit but that day he told me that he thought I was special enough and talented enough to hunt, and I just so badly wanted him to approve of me." Her voice broke. "We walked in and everything was fine you know, everything looked like what I expected it to look like… Then he took me by the hand and led me upstairs. He said he had a surprise… I thought it might be a rifle or something… He covered my eyes and the last thing I saw was his excited smile. I had never seen that expression before… I was so happy that he had something for me… He never had anything for me. When we got to the top there was an odd smell, but I figured that was from the animal pelts that he made there… He wrapped his arms around me… Pinning my arms to my side and ordering me not to open my eyes…" A tear fell down her cheek. "And he said… Abby Bear you must promise…" her voice broke. "Must promise not to scream. I opened my eyes and there on these antlers was a girl and for a moment I thought she was me… She looked just like me… Her skin was white and blood was dripping down from the antlers…" she covered her mouth with a horrified expression. "She was twitching… That poor girl was twitching and I screamed… And he…" she let out a heart wrenching sob and Hannibal pulled her into his arms.

"That's okay…" he said.

"I knew." She said through sobs. "I knew what he was."

"I know…"

"I helped him so he wouldn't put me on display…"

"I know…"

"I'm just like him…"

"No." Hannibal said as he pulled back and brushed her tears away with his thumb. "He was a monster, you are a victim."

"Not any more… I butchered Billy… You said so yourself." She said looking to the lake and he slowly looked her over. "I wonder if they'll give me a name someday like they gave my dad… Instead of the Minnesota Shrike… It'll be something like the Bitch Butcher of Baltimore."

"Listen right now." He said griping onto her chin and making him look to her. "You will never refer to yourself as that again…" He said. "Not the butcher, not a bitch." She slowly nodded and his expression softened as he dabbed her tears away with a silk handkerchief. He stopped slowly and set his hand on top of her head. "You're cold." He said.

"I helped my dad hurt those girls…" he looked to her and tilted her head back as he looked at her eyes to see the pupils were huge. "He was the reason he got his hands on them, I was the bait… My fake uncle Jack was right."

"Abigail what have you done?" He asked cupping her cheek.

"Remember when you asked I wanted to hurt myself?" She asked and his eyes grew wide. "I've succeeded."

"What did you take?" He asked his hands gripping onto her shoulders. "Abigail what did you take!?" he bellowed.

"You're my note…" his eyes widened as he looked her over. "You must do this for me…"

"No… No." He said pulling out his phone and Abigail knocked it out of his hand and into the water before she coughed her hand going on her stomach and she fell back to the ground. "No!" He picked her up in his arms and started to run back towards the institution.

"I'm okay with this…" She said softly as darkness slowly overcame her. "I'm okay with this… This is my penance…"

"You are not doing this to me." He said as he saw the institution insight. Normally he would have let her die, but Abigail had grown on him. She was special to him, and he wasn't ready to let go of her just yet. He kicked open the gate to the facility and ran in. "I need assistance!" he yelled as he rushed down the dark hallway towards the medical room. "I don't know what she took but pump her!" He yelled to a doctor who leapt to his feet as he set her on the gurney. "Pump her stomach!" He ordered.

"No!" The doctor yelled. Hannibal looked to Abigail just in time to watch her take a scalpel and reopen her neck. He went to clamp his hand over the wound as the doctor called for paramedics only to have Abigail roll off the gurney away from him and started to crawl away as blood flooded out of her neck.

"No!" She yelled as Hannibal flipped her on her back and clamped his hand over her neck wound. "Hannibal I can't come back here… Please… Let me die…" she whispered convulsing. "I'm okay with it let me die… Please…" He shook his head his eyes locking onto hers.

"When you wake up you and I are going to have a discussion young lady."

-o-

"What happened?" Will asked as he and Alana rushed down the hallway towards Hannibal who had blood on his normally clean clothes.

"She tried to overdose and when she thought that wasn't working she slit her own throat." Hannibal said.

"What?" Alana asked with a horrified look.

"She slit her own throat?" Will asked.

"When someone wants to die they want to die." They turned to see Jack coming down the hallway. "Maybe the guilt got too much for her to handle-."

"Fuck off Jack." Alana said making the men look to her surprised. "It's because of people like you that she had to try and end it…"

"Is she alright?" Jack asked his jaw clenching.

"Do you care?" Will inquired.

"Yes actually, she's a young person, and this is devastating that she tried to end her life."

"Any idea why she tried to do this?" Will asked. "From what you told me you were with her when it happened."

"Why were you with her?" Jack asked.

"I knew she was going to sneak out tonight and I figured if I couldn't stop her I should keep an eye on her…"

"What did she do?" Jack asked.

"Well she didn't murder anyone." Hannibal said.

"What did she do?" Alana asked.

"She went to a lake and sat down to draw…" He said "Her things including her shoes should still be there, she was putting her feet in the water to play with the fishes."

"She sounds like a real cold hearted murderer doesn't she Jack?" Alana asked.

"Jeffry Dahmers best friend was a dog does that sound like a cold hearted murderer no but he still raped men and ate parts of them." Jack said.

"Why did she do this did she say anything?" Alana asked Hannibal.

"No… Just that she was tired and that I should have let her die that day in the house…"

"She's said that to me as well…" Alana said quietly.

"Are you with the Hobbs party?" A doctor asked walking into the waiting area.

"Yes." Alana said.

"Who are her parents…" he stopped looking at the paperwork. "She's a ward of the state."

"We're the closest thing she has to guardians…" Will said.

"How is she?" Alana asked.

"She's going to be fine… Though I'm not sure how, she took a bottle of Vicadin, a couple shots of morphine, and she opened up her own neck… Still we pumped her stomach and flushed her body and stitched her up…" He said. "But I do have some other concerns."

"Other than her trying to kill herself?" Jack asked. "What else could you be concerned about?"

"Well she's been raped for starters." The room went dead silent.

"I'm sorry?" Alana asked softly her hand going to her heart. "She was-."

"She has signs consisting with rape, now that I know she's a ward of the state I'll have a rape kit done…"

"Is it recent?" Will asked.

"Very and it seems its repeat abuse I'd say for the past month." The Doctor stated.

"She never said anything…" Hannibal said.

"No she wouldn't have if she's a ward of the state she probably felt like no one cared enough to help her." His words were like a knife to the heart to three of the people standing in the room. "I'll go run the kit…"

"You should do a pregnancy test as well…" Alana said and he nodded before walked out. She slowly backed up and sat down into a chair.

"She was raped…" Will said.

"Repeatedly…" Alana added.

"Now maybe you won't see her as a monster." Hannibal said looking to Jack. "But a victim one who needs your help. The institution is government funded and on government land that makes it a federal matter."

"I'll start looking into it…" He said before walking out.

-o-

Abigail took a deep breath as her eyes slowly opened. She blinked a few moments as a brilliant light filled her eyes. After a few moments passed and she blinked her other senses kicking in. She heard a familiar noise to her right, a continuous dull beep. She slowly looked to see a heart monitor.

"No…" She said softly.

"Abigail?" She heard Alana ask.

"No…" She looked around the hospital room to see Will Hannibal and Alana. "No!" She yelled. "I'm still alive!? You kept me alive!?" She yelled at Hannibal who slowly looked to the floor. She covered her face as she let a sob escape her. "I asked you one thing Hannibal!" Alana's jaw clenched as she slowly moved forward and wrapped her arms around her. "Get out!" she yelled pushing her away and hitting the button for the nurse. "I'm not your child, I'm not your charge, I don't have to see you get out!" She yelled and the nurses walked in.

"What's going on?"

"These people suck and I want them out!" She yelled.

"We know about the rape." Alana said and silence slowly settled the room. To their surprise Abigail gave a cynical laugh and looked off. Will nodded to the nurse who slowly walked off.

"So you know… That's just wonderful."

"How many times Abigail?" Alana asked. She shrugged not making eye contact. "How many times?" Alana inquired softly. She didn't reply. "Who did it?"

"No I'm not going to tell that." She said looking to her.

"We can protect you…"

"Oh is that what you all have been doing this whole time?" She asked her jaw clenched. "I told you all I wanted to leave… I told you how miserable I was… none of you did anything then why would you do anything now."

"Because of what happened."

"So I had to be raped fourteen times for you to move your asses?" She asked with a laugh.

"Why didn't you tell us?"

"Because… I deserved it." She said looking off.

"Every rape victim says that."

"Not every rape victim had a dad who ended the lives of twenty plus girls because they looked like me." She said her jaw clenching. "Penance for his crimes. Or that's what the guys side."

"Guys?" Hannibal asked his jaw clenching.

"More than one?" Will inquired.

"I'm not saying anything more…" Abigail said.

"Don't you want justice?" Alana asked.

"The family of the girls my dad killed didn't get justice why should I?" She asked softly as she looked down at her hands. "So when do I go back?"

"You're not ever going back there…" Hannibal said.

"No you'll just send me to another institution where some other asshole will do what the others did, maybe it'll be a group like this last time around…" She muttered.

"So they work there?" Hannibal asked.

"You'll never catch them." She said looking to him and he quirked an eyebrow in what seemed like challenge.

"We took a rape kit." Will said.

"They used condoms, it's useless." She said.

"Not if you tell us who did this." Will said.

"Well I'm not saying so… That's how that works." She said her jaw clenching.

"Can you leave us alone?" Hannibal asked.

"Sure…" Will said slowly pulling Alana from the room. Hannibal closed the door and slowly walked over to the bed. He set his hands on the edge of it as he looked her over.

"You're going to tell me." He said.

"No." She said.

"Abigail-."

"Hannibal."

"Don't test me." He said with an enraged look.

"You don't scare me…" She said softly and his expression softened.

"I'm not trying to scare you I'm trying to find the… slime… that did this to you." He said

"I'm not saying."

"Why not?" he asked.

"Because if I tell you, those men will lose their jobs and be put on trial and I'll just be sent back to the hell hole… If I don't tell you I get sent to another place, maybe a nicer one or a more interesting one." He looked her over before he slowly walked to her bed side and sitting down next to her. He slowly took her hand in his, his thumb drawing circles on the back of it.

"I'll make a deal." He said. "You tell me who did this to you, and I will take you on as my charge."

"Charge?" she asked.

"You would come live with me." He said.

"You can't do that."

"I have friends in high places if anyone could make it happen I could." He said.

"If those men go to trial I have to re live it." She said.

"Who says this is going to trial?" she slowly looked to him to see he had a dark look. "Names… Abigail…"

"No…" She said softly.

"Let me help you."

"The last time you said that we buried a boy in the snow."

"You're not going to have to lift a finger this time… I promise… Names… Or you go back."

"Benny, John, and Tim…" He looked her over.

"You're not telling me something…"

"Those guys only… Did what they did to me once…"

"The doctor said there was re peat abuse…" he said.

"I can't remember all of it…" She muttered her jaw clenching.

"Who was hurting you the most Abigail?" he asked. "Can you remember who?"

"Dr. Clarkson." She said as a tear fell down her cheek.

"Dr. Clarkson?" He asked looking to her. He had gone to school with Dr. Clarkson.

"He didn't know about the others I don't think… That was a one time thing when they had slipped me a different dose of something…. But Dr. Clarkson did what he did anytime we had a private therapy session…" She said softly. He wiped her tear away and cupped her cheek for a long moment.

"There's a brave girl…" he said and she smiled softly. "I'll start making arrangements for your removal here…" he said as he got up and walked to his coat which he folded over his arms.

"Where are you going?" She asked softly as he walked back to her.

"To get a room ready for you my dear." He said and she smiled softly. "Oh here…" He handed her a leather bound book. "My copy now yours…" he said before walking off. "See you soon Abigail…" she nodded as he walked out of the room. She slowly looked down at the book and smiled softly to see it was a copy of a separate peace.

"Well what did she say?" Will asked.

"I only got three first names out of her, Benny, John, and Tim."

"Good work." Alana said.

"Thank you…" he said with a smile.

-o-

He would let the boys get put up for gang rape. But Dr. Clarkson was his. After all he was the one who had raped Abigail the most. He was the one who had first taken advantage of her. Of course if the boys got off, he would end them as well. He smiled as he leaned against his car and watched a familiar one pull out of the parking lot of the institution. It drove past him before stopping and reversing back.

"Hannibal?" Dr. Clarkson asked with a smile as he rolled down his window. "Car trouble?"

"No I was waiting for you actually." He said.

"Me?" He inquired.

"It's about Abigail." The doctors face paled. "I have great news she will make a full recovery." He smiled.

"Oh that's, that's great."

"I thought I'd wait out here instead of going in, didn't want to think about all the blood."

"I can imagine I heard she opened her own neck open… When she comes back here I'll make sure I discuss such an action with her during our private therapy sessions."

"I bet…" Hannibal said containing his rage. Abigail was his and he couldn't believe the Doctor had the gull to lay his hands upon her. "You want to get a cup of coffee I know it's late but I keep forgetting ask."

"Not at all." He said with a smile.

"Perfect I know a great spot."

"Fabulous I'll follow you."

"Perfect." Hannibal said with a smile as he walked away only to drop his keys. "Clumsy me." He picked them up and while he was by the front tire took a nail and stuck it in the skin of the tire. When the good doctor went to drive off it would be propelled completely in and it was only a matter of time before he was Hannibal's for the taking.

-o-

Hannibal straightened out his clothes as he walked down the hallway of the hospital. Visiting hours were long over with but he knew they would make an exception for him. He walked to Abigail's room and stopped seeing her fast asleep in the bed. He smiled to himself softly before walking and sitting down at her side. He took her hand in his as he looked over a book which she held to her chest. She had already read halfway through A Separate peace. He took the book from her arms and set it on the bedside table before he slowly looked over.

"Hannibal." He looked up to see Alana. "You and I need to talk." He nodded with a smile before walking out the hospital room. "I just got a call from the institution…" She said.

"At four in the morning?" he asked looking at his watch.

"You are her guardian now?" She asked with an enraged look. "How could you do this!?"

"Keep your voice down please… She's resting."

"You're being rude Hannibal." She said. "You went over my head."

"Alana you've done a fine job with Abigail but maybe it's time someone else takes over."

"You think it's really good for her to move in with a man she barely knows after being nearly killed by her father and gang raped by three men?" She asked.

"She trusts me, only a little, but there's trust."

"She trusts me."

"Not enough to tell you the names of her rapists." She looked at him for a long moment. "Don't worry Alana I will need you with me on this, I'm just giving her a safe place to rest her head at night… I mean I know nothing about teenage girls while you at one point were a teenage girl… I hope you will not go against me on this but with me, it would be best-."

"For Abigail." She said slowly nodded. "Hannibal I'm sorry I snapped…" He smiled.

"I should not have gone over your head." Hannibal said. "So I am sorry." She nodded.

"Are mom and dad done fighting?" Will asked.

"I would think you are the mom Will." Alana said with a smile as he handed her a coffee.

"Don't drink that swill." Hannibal said as he took the coffee cups away. "I have a thermos of fresh pressed coffee in the room."

"You spoil us." Alana said with a smile as they walked inside the hospital room to once again look after Abigail.


	2. An Interogation

Chapter 2

-o-

An: I should probably tell you all that my vision of Abigail isn't the actress who plays her but Emma Watson. I don't know why but I always thought she would be a better choice than the actress picked.

-o-

Abigail slowly walked to her mirror and looked over herself. It had been five days and she was being released into the care of Hannibal. She wasn't sure how to feel about it. There were so many things about Hannibal that she didn't know. But there was one thing she did know, he had no problem hiding a body or making a rapist doctor disappear. She had wanted to ask Hannibal what he had done but Will had been at his side the whole time. She heard a knock and jumped before turning to the door.

"Come in." she called.

"Good morning." Hannibal said walking in with a warm smile.

"Morning." She said.

"I had what little items you had moved to your new room at my house, well our house now." She smiled softly.

"Thank you, that was kind of you."

"I didn't want you to have to go back there, I hope the room is to your liking, Alana helped me with the décor." He said as he looked over his cufflinks to make sure they were straight.

"Is it pink?"

"Of course not." He said and she laughed softly.

"That's good." She said with a soft expression.

"Here…" He held out a box and she walked over with a small smile.

"What's this?" She inquired looking over the white box which was wrapped in a blue ribbon.

"A house warming gift." He said and she smiled softly as she walked over to her bed and pulled the ribbon. It was in that moment as he watched her undo the ribbon that he noticed how long and slender her fingers were. She set the ribbon aside after folding it delicately and opened the box. She smiled softly at a beautiful blood red scarf that rested inside.

"Oh it's stunning…" She said with a bright smile as her fingers touched it. "It's so soft…"

"I wanted it to be as to not irritate your neck." He said with a smile as he picked up the scarf. She smiled as he slowly and carefully draped it around her neck. "It's a lovely shade on you with your red hair." He said with a smile.

"Thank you Hannibal."

"Of course. I have three others waiting for you at home, A green, Blue, and Purple one."

"That's very kind."

"It's the least I can do as your guardian, so are you ready to see your new home?" She nodded with a smile. "Shall we be off then?"

"Yes, oh wait." She ran to her bedside and picked up her book. "Okay I'm ready now." He smiled and held open the door for her. "Where's Dr. Bloom and Will?" She asked.

"They are with Jack at the institution…" he said.

"Yes, I heard you told them the names-."

"Not all of them…" he said with a smile as he held open another door for her.

"But I heard that Dr. Clarkson disappeared…" she said softly as they walked into the parking lot.

"I wish I could say what a shame but not after what he did to you." He said holding up the door of his car for her. She slowly snuck in as she took a breath and watched him walk around to the drivers side and slip in.

"Why did he disappear?" She asked.

"Because of what he did to you…" he said as he revved the engine. "If those other men get off, which I doubt, or if they are ever released, I will make them disappear as well… I'm sorry I couldn't take care of all of them." She looked to him.

"It would have been too suspicious…" She said and he nodded with a smile. "Can I ask another question?" He nodded. "Why did you choose Dr. Clarkson out of all of them?"

"He abused his station, and your trust, besides he was the one most likely to get off… Even if he did what he did to you many times, his station would have made it easier for him to get off on all the charges…"

"What a fair world…" She muttered looking out the window. "Thank you for delivering me justice…" he looked to her and smiled softly before looking back out onto the open road.

"May I ask you a question now?"

"Anything."

"Why did you try to kill yourself?" her jaw clenched.

"You're just like my mom." She said with a smile. "She'd get me onto the road in the car with no escape to ask me the hard questions…"

"The oldest trick in the book I wish I could do it with my patients."

"Am I patient?"

"No but nice deflection." He said with a smile. "You said I could ask you anything, so why did you try and kill yourself?"

"It will sound cliché…"

"Try me." He said.

"I was in agony." He sat up. In all his time in therapy he had never heard it put in such a way. "I just wanted it to stop…"

"That's not cliché at all… In fact I have never heard it put in such a way…"

"Want to hear something horrible?" She asked softly.

"Sure."

"Nothing has made me want to end my life more than everyone's reaction to me trying to commit suicide… They keep giving me these looks like how could you do such a thing… Like it's some big crime… The way I see it it's my life I can do what I want with it, even ending it…"

"I hope for my sake you won't try to again…" He said and she slowly looked down at her mitted hands.

"There's no point… You've already proven that if you wish so you can keep me here alive…" She admitted softly.

"Don't forget it." She slowly looked to him. "Are you still in agony?"

"Not as much as before…" She replied. "But I'm hopped up on pain pills so I expect I'll be feeling good until late spring…" He smiled. "I'm sorry…" he looked to her. "I shouldn't have put in in the position I did."

"Did you know I would be waiting in the woods?"

"No." She said. "I went to the lake to write my confession amongst my drawings, but nothing was coming out right, then you showed up… I figured who better to deliver my note but a therapist."

"Opportunity knocked." He said.

"And I just had to open the door… Still I'm sorry it wasn't right of me to use you like that."

"Thank you Abigail." He nodded. "Very adult of you to apologize." She smiled softly.

-o-

Abigail smiled as they pulled into his home. He got out of the car and opened the door for her. She smiled softly as she slipped out her eyes looking over the house. It was massive. Huge, and she wondered if he ever got lonely living in such a big home. They walked up the drive way together and Hannibal held out a key for her.

"What's this?" she asked.

"Your key." He said. "This is your home you can come and go as you want I just ask that you lock the door when you leave, and to not stay out passed seven." She raised an eyebrow and he smiled. "Seven thirty." She quirked the other eyebrow. "Fine nine." She smiled as she gingerly took the key in hand. "Go ahead and unlock the door." She smiled as she put the key in and with a loud click the door opened up.

"Oh wow…" She said with a soft expression as she walked in the key firmly held in hand. She had imagined his house to be just like his office and she was right. Still with the crisp silver walls and black wood flooring. "Your home is beautiful."

"Our home." He corrected. "Can I take your coat?"

"Oh uhm yes thank you." She said as she unbuttoned the pea coat and he helped her shrug out of it. She slowly moved forward and looked around the living room which was walled in books and one sitting chair. It was definitely a bachelor pad. Meant for one person, and she wondered how she was going to fit in.

"Want to see your bedroom?" he asked.

"Of course uhm where is it?" she asked.

"Here…" he pushed on a wall and she took a step back as she watched it swing and reveal a stair well.

"I was wondering where the stairs were." She said with a smile.

"I like my entertaining space to be separate from my living space." He said with a smile and she nodded as she headed up the stairs. They walked down a long hallway and she tilted her head seeing the walls covered with art instead of photographs of family and friends like her last homes hallways were lined with.

"My room is at the other side of the hallway." He said pointing to it. "Yours is at the other end I wanted to give you as much privacy as I could." He said with a smile as he opened a door. "I hope the room is too your liking." The room was much different than the rest of the house. It had crisp white floors and sage green walls. She smiled at a huge queen sized bed covered in an Emerald green bed spread. She smiled softly at the corner of the room filled with an empty book case and a small white chair by a wall that was made of glass and led out onto a balcony. Hannibal watched and for a moment he was nervous as she looked around the room. Worried that she didn't like what he had done.

"This is so perfect." She said with a smile as she turned to look at him. "It's wonderful thank you so much." He smiled.

"It has a bathroom connected." He said walking over to a door. "And a walk in closet." He opened another and she laughed. "You'll have to fill this of course so I'm having Alana take you shopping for some new clothes, some more fitting to my life style."

"Life style?" She asked.

"As my charge you will accompany me to fellow therapist's houses for dinner, symphonies, art galleries…"

"And I can't where skinny jeans and studded boots to things like that." She said with a smile.

"No you cannot." He said with a smile.

"I hope I don't embarrass you."

"You don't have to worry about this at all." He said with a smile. "You are a very polite young lady." She smiled. "Well why don't you get settled in and then you can help me start preparing dinner, Will and Alana will be joining us."

"I'm settled in." she said with a smile.

"Well then let's get started you can help me pick out what we're going to eat tonight." She smiled as she followed him out of her room and down the stairs. They walked through the house and Abigail smiled as they entered the kitchen.

"Wow it's huge." She said.

"I do a lot of entertaining." He said with a smile.

"You're into cooking, I think I remember Alana mentioning that now that I think about it."

"Do you like to cook?" Hannibal asked.

"Mom did all the cooking, I'd help sometimes, but she always said the kitchen was a one woman realm and there wasn't room… You saw the kitchen though it was pretty tiny. I'd like to learn though."

"Well tonight we'll start learning." He said with a smile as he motioned for her to come over to the counter. "This is my recipe box." He said as she walked around the counter and stood at his side. "Choose an appetizer, a dinner, and a dessert."

"Me? Choose?"

"Yes Its your dinner so, go ahead and choose." She smiled as she looked down at the recipe box and opened it up.

"Okay…" She moved through the recipes and he watched her look at nearly each one before smiling and going back to choose what she wanted. "These?" she asked setting them out.

"Twice baked Brie..." he read. "Good choice." She smiled. "Carre d'Agneau…. Another good choice… Croquembouche for dessert."

"I chose it because I liked the name." He smiled.

"Crème puffs a favorite of Alanas… Go to the cupboard and find as many of the ingredients as you can and put them in order of which course they go into."

"Right." She said before looking around to see there were hardly any cup boards. "Uhm."

"Oh here." He walked over to a wall and pushed on it to reveal the cupboard.

"This house may be a little tricky to learn." She said with a smile as she walked over with the appetizer recipe. "I like that everything isn't kind of what it seems though."

"It's what drew me to the house." He said with a smile before the phone rang as he opened his freezer and saw the packs of meat.

"That's probably Alana checking up on you, the phone is in the living room." He said "Go ahead and answer it." She set the things down on the counter before running out of the kitchen in the way only a young girl could run. He smiled softly before looking back at the meat a new fond memory flooding into his mind as he did.

Hannibal smiled as he watched the car behind him slowly fall behind. He drove a little ways before stopping and reversing back. He smiled more seeing Dr. Clarkson get out of his car and walk to his tire. Hannibal got out as he put his leather gloves on.

"Car trouble?" He asked as he walked to Dr. Clarkson who was kneeling by his front tire.

"Yep looks like I've got a flat." He said.

"Too bad." Hannibal said. Dr. Clarkson jumped as Hannibal put him in a standard choke hold. He smiled as he watched the man struggle in his grasp before falling limp. It was fitting he'd stop fighting for his life so soon. At first he though the man was just scum, now he knew him to be a coward. Abigails friend Marissa had fought for her life longer then this man had.

"Hannibal?" he turned and looked to Abigail who was smiling. "Alana wants to talk to you."

"I'll be right back then." He said pulling the meat and setting it down on the counter before heading to the phone in the living room.

"_Hannibal?" _He heard Alanas voice come through the phone.

"Dr. Bloom."He greeted.

"_I spoke to Abigail she sounds much better." _

"She's helping me cook dinner for tonight."He said.

"_Must be nice to have someone to cook with." _

"Well not so much cook with, I'm afraid she doesn't know her way around a kitchen, but she's willing to learn."

"_I'm sure you'll be a great teacher… Hannibal, has she mentioned anything about the… Well the rapes?" _

"No not at all not since she told me the names why?"

"_Well Jack was searching Dr. Clarksons room since he disappeared, for clues." _

"And?" he asked_. _

"_He… He found tapes." _

"Tapes?" Hannibal asked.

"_It seems that Dr. Clarkson was abusing his power… He had been molesting and sexually abusing many of the female patients here… There's a tape with Abigail name on it and according to Jack there are numerous liaisons with her…" _

"Liaison would suggest it was consensual."

"_Well… According to Jack she really didn't fight him off…"_

"Yes but as we remember Jack isn't fond of Abigail."

"_That's what Will said." _

"Well Will would be right… Maybe you should watch the tape."

"_Maybe… Well maybe you can question her about it." _

"Today is a day to welcome her home and get her settled in, I'm sorry but I won't talk of rape on this day… See you at six." He hung up the phone and turned to see Abigail walking in.

"The crème puffs call for vanilla but all I can find is vanilla bean."

"I must have run out."

"Do you have bourbon?" she asked.

"I do." He said. "But I will not offer you a drink." She smiled.

"I can make vanilla with the bourbon, my mom used to make it and sell fresh vanilla at the farmers market near my old house."

"Alright then let me get the bourbon." She nodded with a smile before heading into the kitchen. Hannibal pulled the bottle from a secure cabinet and brought I over to a cutting board.

"I need a really small sharp knife." She said.

"That would be called a pantilla knife or pairing knife." He said handing it over.

"Pantilla…" She said.

"Here…" he took her hand and wrapped it around the knife properly. "Now curl your knuckles and pin the bean down that way if you slip you hit your knuckle and not risk cutting a finger tip off."

"That's always good." She said with a smile as she did what he said. "Like this?"

"Perfect." He said with an approving smile. As he worked over the meant he watched as she carefully cut open the vanilla bean and scrape out the contents inside into bourbon before curling up the left over bean and sticking it inside.

"If you have something to keep this in it'll get better and better as time goes on." She said.

"In the cupboard I have pickling jars." He said and she nodded as she walked over and took on in hand. She put the contents of the bowl into the jar and closed it up before setting it aside. Without Hannibal even having to ask she immediately started to clean. "Here Alana told me all teenage girls were messy."

"Most of them are, my mom says I was a rarity, then again she gave me a toy vacuum when I was a kid so maybe she just programmed me to be that way." She said with a smile when she was done she walked to his side. "You package your own meat?" She asked and he looked to her.

"What makes you say that?"

"These are standard vacuum bags, my dad used to use them with dear meat…" She said before looking over his hands. "You don't hunt your own meet at least not with a gun…" She said looking over his hands. "This…" she picked up one of the bags and tilted her head. Hannibal watched her carefully as her jaw clenched. "Hannibal where did you get this meat?" She asked softly.

"Would you believe me if I said I got it from a farmers market?"

"Is that what you want me to believe?" she asked looking to him and he smiled. "Farmers market it is." She said before setting it down. "They're not ever going to find Dr. Clarkson again are they?"

"I told you, you didn't have to worry about him, I meant it." Hannibal watched as she stared at the meat.

"I guess I'm going to know what revenge tastes like." She said before walking away and Hannibal watched her with a smile. She leaned against the counter and faced him as she watched him slice up the meat like a pro. "Where'd you learn to cook?"

"Here and there."

"Where's here and there?"

"Mostly there not here." She laughed softly the first time he had heard her do so.

"You're funny." He smiled as he looked down at the meat. It was the first time he had ever heard anyone say such a thing about him. "Funny ha ha not like funny fool ha."

"You have an interesting way of explaining things."

"Interesting like you can't understand me or interesting in a quirky endearing makes complete sense kind of way?"

"Interesting in a run on sentence kind of way." She smiled.

"In a quirky endearing run on sentence kind of way?" He laughed and she smiled. "That's the first time I've ever heard you laugh." She said and he looked to her. "Don't worry I won't tell anyone, I know you have a staunch tailored persona to uphold."

"You think me staunch?" He asked.

"You make it sound like it's a bad word to describe you or insulting, the definition of staunch though is a person who is loyal and committed in attitude…" He looked to her. "That doesn't sound so bad to me."

"Guess not." He said with a smile before continuing to slice the meat. "Why don't you start on the sauce for our main course Abigail, then I want you to go upstairs and get ready for dinner."

"Aye aye chef captain man." She said and he smiled more.

-o-

Hannibal walked into the dining room and stopped seeing Abigail smiling as she looked over the table she had set. She had a very accomplished look and he could understand why. After all it was a beautiful setting with freshly cut flowers she had arranged herself. There was definitely a more feminine feel to the room then before, and Hannibal didn't so much find.

"I did this and it's perfect." She said with a smile and Hannibal nodded.

"The forks are in the wrong place." He said with a smile.

"I did this and it was nearly perfect." She said and he smiled again as she quickly re did the silverware.

"You'll catch on." He said with a smile.

"I have a feeling living with you I'm going to become one amazing entertainer."

"I imagine you will." The door bell rang.

"Should I get it?"

"It's your house too." He said and she smiled as she walked past him. Hannibal bowed his head as her scent hit him. She never wore perfume yet she had a naturally sweet smell to her. Like clover honey, he hoped she would never mask that scent with perfume.

"Look at you, you look adorable." He heard Alana said. Hannibal had bought her a dress for that night. It was emerald green with a fitted bodice and lace skirt that flared out from the waist which had a skinny black belt resting around her. To top it off she had a black sweater covering her arms and black ballet flats.

"It's a pretty dress." Will said his jaw clenching as he looked all around.

"Hannibal got it for me… He's spoiling me I think he's trying to win me over." She whispered to Alana who smiled. "He doesn't know he has but I'm going to let him continue to spoil me for a while."

"Is that so?" Hannibal asked and she snapped her fingers.

"I've been found out I'll have to kill him now and assume all his assets." Hannibal smiled even more as he looked her over while Alana laughed.

"Could probably happen…" Will said and Abigail moved forward.

"Come on Will you're all jacked up." She said wrapping an arm around his and leading him off.

"She smiled." Alana said and Hannibal looked to her. "She has never smiled in my presence."

"This was a good change."

"I guess so…" She said.

"Shall we?" he asked.

"Yes of course." She said following him to the dining room. "So Abigail I have some good news."

"Yeah?" She asked

"They caught those boys and cracked under interrogation, we expect them to plead guilty…"

"That's good… Uhm how long will they get?" She asked.

"We won't know until the trial."

"Am I going to have to testify?" She asked.

"Not if they plead guilty." Hannibal said.

"Well good I'm glad they cracked under the pressure…" She said.

"So Abigail…" Alana began. "You heard about Dr. Clarkson right?" Her jaw clenched at Alana's question.

"Yeah he uhm disappeared while changing a tire or something?" She asked taking a sip of water. "I think Will mentioned it."

"I did." He said with a nod.

"Well Jack was going through his things and… He found some tapes…" Alana said.

"Tapes?" She asked.

"Alana…" Hannibal said his jaw clenching. "Not tonight…"

"What not tonight?" She asked and Hannibal was surprised at how genuine her question was.

"They found tapes of his sessions." Will said. "Of… Girls…"

"Girls?" she asked. "Like us patients?" she asked. "Isn't it like normal for Therapists to tape their sessions." She said looking to Hannibal. "I think I saw that in a movie or something…"

"These weren't Audio tapes like Therapists sometimes use Abigail… It was video." Alana said.

"That's rude, don't you need permission to video tape someone?" She asked.

"Uhm yes." Alana said as she cleared her throat. "Any idea what was on those tapes?"

"I'm guessing our sessions?" She asked. "Which honestly are a bit fuzzy now that I'm thinking about it."

"Fuzzy?" Alana asked.

"Yeah uhm… It's strange I don't remember much…" She knitted her brow and Hannibal felt like applauding her acting. "It's all kind of… Slow…" He tilted his head, she was telling the truth just then.

"Slow?" Will asked.

"Yeah like flashes… I don't really want to talk about this anymore." She said. "I don't mean to be rude but Dr. Lecter worked really hard on preparing a meal and I feel like this discussion is putting a damper on the evening…"

"I quite agree." Hannibal said. "Very politely put." Abigail smiled softy as a ding sounded. "That would be the brie."

"I'll bring it out." Abigail said with a smile.

"Are you sure?" he asked.

"Yeah you've been on your feet all day cooking…" She walked to the kitchen and as soon as the door closed she leaned against the counter and took a shaky breath.

"Was that needed?" Will asked Alana before Hannibal could. "That wasn't okay."

"We just got valuable information…" Alana said. "From what it sounds like she was drugged it would be why she didn't fight back…"

"Which would get Jack off her back." Will said.

"Maybe that's not so bad then…" Hannibal said. Abigail backed up into the room and carried the brie over and set it down.

"Smells wonderful." Alana said.

"I'll be right back with the baguette." She said with a smile before heading into the kitchen.

"I must insist we not talk about this anymore to her." Hannibal said.

"Agreed…" Alana said. "I'm sorry I just so want Jack to lay off her… She's been through enough now she doesn't need an FBI person on her back."

"Agreed." Abigail said walking in with the warm pieces of sliced bread. "Thanks for your concern Dr. Bloom I really do appreciate it."

"Well… You're welcome Abigail." She said with a smile.

-o-

"Look how beautiful this is…" Alana said looking down at her plate.

"What is this?" Will asked loving the smell.

"Carre d'Agneau… Roasted rack of lamb served over garlic rosemary demi-grace garnished with flageolet beans…" Hannibal said. "Abigail picked it out and made the sauce."

"I feel quite accomplished." She said with a smile as Alana laughed softly. She was seeing a new side to the teen and she had to admit she quite liked it. Hannibal watched as they all cut in his eyes more focused on Abigail.

"So…" Hannibal said and she looked to him. "How does it taste?"

"I find it tastes sweet… I like it." Hannibal smiled as he started to eat himself.

_So revenge really does taste sweet…_

He took a bite and smiled to himself.

"It does taste sweet…" He said and Abigail smiled to herself.

"I don't get that at all…" Alana said and Abigail laughed softly. The door bell sounded and Abigail sat up.

"Are we expecting company?" Will asked.

"No." Hannibal said.

"I'll go see who it is…" Abigail said heading off. Hannibal sat quietly as he listened. Abigail walked to the door and opened it up slowly before seeing Jack. "Mr. Crawford." She said slightly surprised.

"Would you mind stepping outside for a moment Abigail?" he asked.

"Okay…" She knew to listen to him things went easier that way. When she stepped out she jumped as a man rushed at her from the side. Form the dining room Hannibal heard a sound of pain and leapt to his feet before rushing out Alana and Will following.

"Don't touch me!" They watched as a police officer went to grab Abigail. She parried his hand away before slapping the other one.

"Now you've done it." Jack said with a smile. "Abigail Hobbs you are now under arrest for assaulting a police officer."

"What do you expect her to do she's a rape victim!" Alana said.

"What is the meaning of this?" Hannibal asked. He stayed still as he watched officer throw Abigail against the wall her cheek smacking against it as she did. "Is that force necessary?"

"Well you tell me she just assaulted a police officer…" Jack said as she was led off to a police car.

"Abigail don't worry just cooperate!" Hannibal called as she sent him a pleading look.

"Where are they taking her?" Will asked.

"To the station for questioning about the disappearance of Dr. Clarkson." Jack said.

"You're stretching now." Will said.

"Alana here's Abigail's key please shut down my kitchen and close up I'm going to the station." Hannibal said grabbing his car keys and running to his car.

-o-

Abigail sat in the dimly lit room her hands held in her lap. She felt like she had been there for hours. Her head ached and so did her cheek thanks to the officer who had thrown her against the wall. She didn't mean to fight back but the second that police officer had approached her she had felt the panic she had with her assaults.

Jack had come in and out of the room over a hundred times. Each time asking a question. When he didn't like her answer he'd leave her there alone. It was starting to wear thin, and she was admittedly getting very tired. She jumped as Jack walked into the room the door slamming against the wall as he did.

"I'm sorry did I wake you up?" He asked.

"No." She said. "You just startled me."

"Now that's interesting… You getting startled after everything you've done."

"What exactly have I done?" She asked before yawning.

"God she's exhausted…" Alana said with a soft expression.

"Why hasn't she asked for a lawyer it's been five hours?" Will asked.

"I think she's trying to show Jack her cooperation." Hannibal said.

"You know what you've done." Jack said.

"Clearly I don't…" Abigail said. "Mr. Crawford as much as you'd like me to be I'm not my father, I'm Abigail… I'm seventeen years old, I like to read paint and draw…" He got up and started to leave. "And I don't kill people!" She shouted as he left the room. "God damn it." She said as she sat back down.

"How long are you going to keep this up?" Alana asked.

"Until she tells the truth." Jack said.

"Hannibal you're her guardian you have rights too rights that allow you to protect hers." Alana said and Hannibal bowed his head.

"I would but… Clearly Abigail doesn't want that."

"It's not about what she wants."

"Can I at least get another bandage I have to change mine out ever three hours and it's been more than that!" she called. "I think…" She muttered looking off to the side with a hopeless look.

"Get her that bandage or I will call my lawyer." Hannibal said and Jack slowly walked off to get the first aid kit. After a few minutes he walked back in and Abigail perked up. Hannibal could see the surprise on her face seeing Jack holding the first aid kit. He sat down and slid it over to her.

"Thank you…" She said with a genuine look.

"Did you open your wound back up because of the rapes or because of the guilt?" He asked as she pulled a bandage.

"Would it be strange for me to say that I didn't do it because of the assaults?" she asked quietly as she changed her bandage out over her neck.

"So it was because of the guilt…" Jack said with a smile figuring he had a confession on the horizon.

"I kept having this dream…" She said. "I didn't tell Dr. Bloom or Dr. Lecter about it… But uhm… I would be in group talking about what my dad did." He nodded. "And when I looked up from my story the girls in my group were the girls he killed and they all kept shouting at me that they deserved to live more… And after a while I started to believe them…" She bowed her head. "I still… Kind of believe them… I do believe them." Jack looked her over. "I wish I could bring closure to the families… I wish I knew what my dad did with them."

"You do know though." Jack said.

"Know I don't, I mean I have ideas, Will said my dad would honor every part of them like he honored the deer he killed, I figure he must have found a way to use the girls the same way… Like I don't know stuffing pillows with their hair or something…" She shuttered with a disgusted look. "Or you know making putty out of teeth…" Jack looked her over. "Or…" her voice trailed off.

"Or?" he asked.

"No you've already looked there."

"Looked where?" He asked.

"The freezer."

"Yes in the basement it was emptied you all had… Eaten whatever was left."

"No the other freezer." She said with an obvious look.

"What other freezer?" He asked.

"You're serious?" She inquired blinking.

"What other freezer Abigail?" he yelled and she jumped.

"The one he had at the local hunting cabin." She said quickly.

"No way…" Alana said softly.

"His cabin?" Jack asked.

"No the hunting cabin is a place in the woods where you could get ammo, uhm, arrows what ever you like but for avid hunters they rented out large freezers… They only had five mind you but dad had a standing rental on it…" She shifted in her seat. "He and mom used to fight about it all the time."

"We didn't see a rental slip in his financials." Jack said.

"Well he had one, I can tell you the number and everything…"

"Was it month to month?" he asked.

"Yeah but he paid it all upfront, big bills and everything." She said.

"He paid cash?" Jack asked.

"I guess so yeah…"

"That's why it wasn't in his financials." Jack said. "We'll look into it." She nodded slowly.

"Sorry I never mentioned it thought you guys would have found it…" She said and he slowly nodded.

"No paper trail no finding." He said.

"Didn't know there was no paper trail…" She said. "You hate me even more now don't you?"

"I don't hate you."

"Clearly do you come at me all the time…" she shook her head. "Sorry that was rude."

"Did you like Dr. Clarkson?" Jack asked and the question caught her off guard.

"Uhm I don't know he was okay I guess." She said with a shrug.

"Okay?" he asked.

"Yeah I mean… A little weird…"

"Weird how?" He asked.

"He would kind of… Lurk I guess is the word."

"Lurk?"

"Yeah like around the girls rooms and stuff… I hated going to his sessions…"

"Why?"

"Because I never left feeling right… Actually I don't even remember leaving." She shook her head. "Do I have to talk about this?"

"I think we do…" He said. "We found tapes…"

"That's what Will and Dr. Bloom said."

"Know what's on them?" He asked.

"I would guess our sessions."

"What happened during your sessions?"

"Oh you know the…" Her voice trailed off as she looked up in thought. "The… Usual I guess…"

"She looks completely confused…" Alana said softly.

"What's wrong?" Jack asked.

"Uhm nothing… I just can't remember really what I said to him… Just hello and then… flashes…"

"Flashes?" Jack asked. "Flashes of what.

"I want Dr. Lecter…" She said and Jack stiffened. "I want Dr. Lecter my guardian now… I know my rights and I'm allowed to consult a parent or guardian…"

"Wow…" Alana said. "She got defensive fast."

"Think she's remembering?" Will asked.

"I think she doesn't want to talk about what she is remembering." Hannibal said as Jack walked in.

"You can take her home." Jack said.

"You're releasing her?" Hannibal asked.

"I think I may know what's going on…" Jack said.

"What about the charges?" Will asked.

"I'm dropping them." He said. Hannibal walked into the interrogation room and Abigail sat up.

"I've come to liberate you, you're free to go, let's go home." He said and she gave a shaky sigh of relief. When they got to the car Hannibal looked her over. "You were very good in there." He said.

"I really can't believe they didn't find that other freezer…" She said.

"I meant about Dr. Clarkson… You looked like you really didn't know…"

"The first few times I didn't then I started having the flashes..." She said. "I slowly started to realize what was happening… I tried to figure out how he was drugging me, from the water he handed me when I walked in to the mints that he offered, but never did figure it out…"

"You seem detached from what has happened to you…"

"I have more important things to deal with then that." She said and he glanced at her as he drove. His eyes went over her cheek to see a light bruise and cut. "How is your cheek?"

"Stings a bit…" She muttered. "Do you think Jack trusts me yet?"

"No." He said.

"Is he ever going to get off my back?"

"No."

"So I'm going to have an FBI agent on my ass for the rest of my life?"

"Language, and no… For the rest of his life…" he watched her eyes flash. "You can't kill him."

"I wasn't going to…"

"You were thinking about it…"

"Everyone thinks of killing someone at some point…" She muttered.

"Yes but very few of the capability of doing so."

"I wouldn't kill Crawford…"

"Why not?"

"He hasn't done anything to deserve it…" she buried her hands into her face. "I should have just turned my dad in…" she sat back in a chair.

"Why didn't you?"

"I had my reasons…" She muttered.

"Like?" he watched her jaw clench. "Maybe later…"

"Maybe…" she muttered quietly.

"You must be tired, it's midnight after all and you were sitting in that room for hours."

"I'm a little tired…" She said.

"I was surprised you didn't crack."

"He's not ever going to crack me… He'll get the information I want him to have." Hannibal smiled. She was impressing him more and more.

"Tomorrow I have patients all day, I don't want to leave you at home knowing Jack has it out for you… I don't want him to come arrest you once more when I'm not there… So I was wondering if you might like a job?"

"Job?" she asked.

"I have been without a receptionist for many months now… It would be easy you would greet my patients and offer them water, you could bring your laptop or books to pass the time, would you be interested in that?"

"Sure." She said with a smile. "But could I volunteer?" She asked. "I need an internship for some credits."

"Yes that could work." He said with a smile.

-o-

When they got to the house Abigail sighed and walked to the dining room. The dinner was still sitting there all but ruined. She tilted her head at her plate and shrugged.

"At least I got a tiny taste of revenge."

"There will be more opportunities." He said and she smiled softly.

"Well I'll clean up."

"Let me you must be tired." He said.

"No, you cooked I clean."

"Abigail as your guardian I am ordering you to go up to bed." He said and she smiled.

"Well as your teenage charge I will jut out my jaw and ignore that order." She said before moving past him and grabbing a few plates. Hannibal smiled to himself before slowly grabbing a platter and following her out.


	3. A Mary Sue XD

Chapter 3

-o-

AN: Never knew what a Mary sue was lol but thanks for educating me… Abigail isn't an idealized character for me as you will see in the coming chapter which I've written up to 10 as of an hour before posting this… I just don't like how whiney she is in the show. I get it she's lost her family and her father turned her into a monster but you can gain something from that… The best type of heroines to me are the ones who can get levelled to the ground and still find the strength to build themselves up. Oh and by the by this is **FAN** I repeat **FAN**fiction so I can make Abigail into whoever I like… And I guess if you don't like her then… Don't read it others will I'm sure… Oh and thanks **AjLovett** I won't get discouraged thanks for the support!

To reviewers: **I eat the rude**. Lol man I love being a fannibal.

-o-

Abigail smiled as she sat at the desk. She felt very accomplished in that moment. She wasn't sitting in an asylum room doing nothing. She was sitting at a desk. Doing a job. An important job. She was saying hello to equally unstable people such as herself. The door opened and she smiled as a round man with a neat beard walked in.

"Hello sir." She said with a smile. "If you'll take a seat Dr. Lecter will be with you in just a minute, can I get you a drink while you wait?" He laughed softly.

"Uhm yes please, water?" She reached into a mini fridge and pulled a Pierre water before pouring it into a glass and sticking sliced cucumber on the rim.

"That's fancy." He said.

"The best for Dr. Lecters patient's." She said with a soft expression as she handed it to him.

"What's your name if I can ask?"

"Abigail." She said not wishing to give out her recognizable last name.

"What a pretty name, I'm Franklin Debrow." He shook her hand.

"Nice to meet you Mr. Debrow." She said before sitting back down at her desk. Silence settled over them but she could feel the man's eyes going to her every so often.

"You uhm… Look a little young to be a receptionist."

"I'm an intern." She said. "It's for school."

"Ah makes more sense." He said. "Are you a patient of his?"

"No I kind of am… His charge…"

"Charge?" she asked.

"Dr. Lecter is my guardian."

"Oh lucky girl…" She tilted her head. It was a strange thing to say. The door to the office opened and Hannibal smiled.

"Franklin, do come in." he said.

"Dr. Lecter." He said before walking in. He looked to Abigail who waved with a smile and he smiled back before closing the door.

"She's a very sweet girl Abigail." Franklin said and Hannibal eyed him as the man sat down. "She's your charge?"

"Yes, I have taken Guardianship over her… So Franklin, how are things?"

"Was she a patient of yours?"

"No." He said and Franklin slowly nodded.

"You don't want to talk about her."

"I want to talk about you." He said. "How are things?"

"Well… Not so good… You remember Tobias."

"Yes…"

"Can I ask a favor about him?"

"Depends…"

"I've been trying to look at my friends through your eyes as of late… What your diagnosis might be."

"So you're becoming a psycho analyst?"

"I'm becoming you…"

"Who are you analyzing?" He asked deciding to ignore his last comment.

"Tobias… Look I need your help I don't know what to make of him."

"What's happened?"

"He's been saying incredibly dark things…"

-o-

Abigail smiled softly as Franklin came out of the room. She tilted her head seeing a worried look on his face. He went to leave but stopped and turned to look at her.

"It was nice meeting you Abigail."

"You too Mr. Debrow." She said and he nodded with a smile before walking out. She looked to Hannibal with a smile. "Can I get you anything?"

"No I'm fine…"

"Is he okay?" he looked her over as his hands slipped into his pockets.

"Why do you ask?"

"I don't know he went in with a smile on his face and he came out looking like someone ran over his puppy… You couldn't tell me anyways though I shouldn't have asked." He smiled with a nod.

"You're learning." He said before heading into his office and closing the door just as someone walked in to the waiting room.

"Hello, welcome to Dr. Lecters office. If you'll take a seat he will be with you shortly. Can I get you anything to drink while you wait?"

"Water?" The man asked with a smile.

"Of course." She prepared it and set it in his hand.

"Fancy."

"The best for Dr. Lecters patients." A few minutes later Hannibal opened the door and smiled.

"Joey do come in." He said stepping inside and letting the man walk in before he closed the door.

"Your receptionist… She's new?"

"Yes." Hannibal said as he sat down.

"She's very pretty." Hannibal tilted his head.

"Yes I suppose so…"

Any man that came into his office the next few hours made a mention of how pretty or nice Abigail was. Some spent the rest of the hour trying to gain information about her. A few stopped when he told them her age. But when all left his office they made a point to shake her hand and bid goodbye.

"It was nice meeting you Abigail."

"You too Mr. Cross." She said as a young man with blonde hair walked out. She looked to Hannibal with a smile. "I think that was the last one for today…"

"It was." He said as he checked his watch. "We have to get home and get ready." He said as he walked back into his office. Abigail walked to the door and peered in as she watched him water some plants and straighten some things out.

"Get ready for what?" She inquired.

"We have a concert tonight." He said. "We're going to the opera."

"Opera?" She asked with a smile.

"Yes I thought it would be a good for you to experience some soothing music."

"What are we seeing?" She asked.

"Turandot…"

"Isn't that the last opera Puccini ever did?" She asked and he looked to her surprised. "It was unfinished right?"

"Abigail you are more sophisticated then you have let on."

"Don't give me too much credit, I love the history of theatre but have never experienced it for myself… Turondot has always interested me though, I love the idea of the three riddles."

"Well then tonight shall be a wonderful night for you then." He said with a smile as he walked towards her and closed the door. "Alana apologized for not being able to take you shopping today, she was pre disposed."

"Oh that's alright."

"So instead I had a dress sent for you, it should be waiting at the house."

"You didn't have to do that."

"Of course I did." He said as he locked the door to his office. "After all I can't have you wearing skinny jeans to your first Opera."

"I guess you're right." She said with a smile. When they got to the house Hannibal handed her a white box which had been waiting outside on a cast iron table.

"We have to leave in an hour." He said as they headed up the stairs.

"Okay." She said as she headed down the hallway to her room. She got her shower washing her hair and then blow drawing it out before twisting her hair into a loose low bun with strands of hair framing her face. She walked over to the bed and opened the box before smiling softly and pulling the garment out. "Wow…" She said softly before her eyes landed on shoes. "Awe…" she said lifting up the six inch silver glittered shoes. They were outrageous for the dress, but considering the dress went to the floor she figured it wasn't a problem. She smiled before heading back into the bathroom to do her makeup, she figured something smokey.

Hannibal sighed as he checked his watch. They had two minutes before they were to leave the house. He had to admit he had been warned that women took their dressing down to the minute, but he still wasn't used to it. The wall concealing their living space moved open and he sighed.

"We'll have to work on your…" His voice trailed off. Abigail was walking out of the concealed stair well in a gold and champagne vintage gown with satin scooped neckline and beaded bodice that flared out at the skirt and fell to the ground elegantly. Her arms were covered with a rushed gold beaded sleeve that pointed over her hands.

"We'll have to work on what?" She asked and his eyes went to hers.

"Nothing…"

"It doesn't look right does it?"

"No you look… You look like a lady." He said. "Shall we?" he turned and headed off. Abigail smiled as she followed him out, he locking the door as her key was still with Alana. When they got into the car Abigail looked over to Hannibal with a smile.

"Thank you for the dress." She said.

"It fits you well." He said

"Yes it's the exact size I needed… It's also tailored… How did you know my measurements if I can ask?"

"I pay attention." He said and she smiled.

"My shoe size as well?" He nodded with a smile. "Well thank you."

"A pretty girl needs a pretty dress." She smiled softly as she looked out the window. She wasn't sure why but his words had pleased her greatly.

"I'm very excited, while I was getting ready I brushed up on some of my history of the play."

"What did you learn?"

For the next hour Hannibal was surprised at her vast knowledge of the play. From the opening night in 1926. To the gongs that were specifically made for the play and lost in a bet only to be found by another maestro. When she finished Hannibal smiled.

"Anything else?" he asked as he parked the car.

"Nope." She said and he smiled.

"You impress me more and more." He said before getting gout and walking to the other side of the car. He lent his hand and she slowly took it as she maneuvered out. They walked together to the theatre and headed up a line of marble stairs to a set of balcony seats. They sat up front and Abigail smiled as she looked over the crowd of elegantly dressed men and women. She realized in that moment, that though the death of her parents was tragic, it had opened a door unlike any she would have been able to walk through before.

Soon the curtain dropped before getting pulled back up and the Opera began. Hannibal listened but he did not watch. After all he had seen. Turandot many times, once at the met, so this was no new affair. Instead he watched Abigail who seemed thoroughly enthralled in the story. He could understand every word they said because he spoke French. But Abigail knew nothing of French still he could tell she was hanging on every word and understanding everything that went on. When the first act closed she sat back in her chair with a tilted gaze.

"What is it?" He asked.

"Well it's just not fair." She said.

"What isn't?" He asked and she turned to him.

"Well here there's this fine sweet perfectly suitable young man the prince of Tartary, all he wants to do is hit the gong three times to answer the riddles." He smiled, she had gotten more then he thought she would. "And those men Ping pang and pong won't let him, and what's with the crowd being mean to him, he just wants a chance with the princess?" He smiled.

"All things will be explained, do you like it so far?"

"The music is wonderful but… Did you hear something off?" he smiled.

"You have a good ear, there's a trombonist down there that is butchering the music." He said looking to the symphony. "Look he's being dismissed now." She looked to see a man walking off his instrument in hand.

"Poor guy, he now reminds me of the Prince of Tartary… Which reminds me did I miss his name?" She asked him.

"Not at all he's the unknown prince." He said.

"Ah…" She said catching on.

"I'm amazed at how much you got from the show considering you don't speak French."

"I speak a little." She said. "But not well I'm afraid… So I'm catching things here and there… Do you speak French?"

"I do." He said.

"Speak any other languages?"

"Russian, Danish, Italian, German, Spanish, and English."

"You added English in there which tells me it's not your first language…" She said and he smiled.

"You catch on…" Before she could ask what his first language was everyone took a seat and the next act started.

-o-

Abigail smiled as she with Hannibal stood and applauded the group of actors. She couldn't imagine how hard it had been for them to do such a play that was not even finished to begin with. They sat down and Abigail smiled at Hannibal.

"So what did you think?"

"I thought it was very romantic… He gives her his name which could destroy him and she chooses to hold it precious within her for all time… I love the ending, his name is love, I was worried she was going to say his true name there for a moment." He smiled. "Why do you think they chose to do the play in French when that wasn't the original language they did it in?" she asked.

"I wish I knew, there are many variations of this play as you know though, they might have just chosen the one that sounded the best. Shall we head down to cocktail hour?" he asked as he stood.

"Sure." He leant his arm and she took it as they moved down the stair well. After a few moments he stopped. "What I it Hannibal?" She asked seeing his irritated look.

"I left my program."

"Oh I'll go back and get it and meet you downstairs." She said with a smile.

"Are you sure?"

"Of course I'll meet you downstairs." She said before disappearing up the stair well. He smiled as he continued down stairs and entered the large room filled with some of societies finest, but most of societies gaudiest.

"Dr. Lecter…" a woman in cropped black hair in a long white dress far too young for her age walked to him.

"Miss Bethes." He greeted.

"Who was that fine young lady I spotted you with?" She inquired.

"That would be my young charge Abigail Hobbs." He answered with a kind expression. It was hard to tolerate this woman. She was an ex actress one who at her age of sixty still believed she could wear low cut dresses and talk like a baby to woo a man.

"Hobbs?" She asked. "Hmm… That name sounds familiar." She shook her head as Hannibal just smiled. "Well she's absolutely lovely, where is she if I may ask I was looking forward to meeting her, so many are though…"

"I forgot my program and she went to retrieve it." He said before seeing her come down the stairs. "There she is." He waved at her and she waved back before she walked down into the crowd and disappeared.

"Oh she is lovely Dr. Lecter…"

"Abigail?" She turned as she moved through the crowd and smiled as she spotted a familiar face.

"Mr. Debrow." She said with a smile.

"I almost didn't recognize you…" Franklin said. "You clean up well."

"Oh thank you so much, you look very debonair as well."

"Not without much difficulty."

"I'm sure that's not true." He smiled.

"Are you alone tonight?"

"No… Dr. Lecter is around here somewhere I'm afraid I've lost sight of him…"

"Well here let me be your guide I have lost sight of my companion as well." He said lending an arm which she took.

"Thank you I'm afraid I'm not so good at navigating crowds."

"That's because you're petite, you need shoulders to make your way in crowds like this." She smiled softly.

"Oh there he is." Hannibal stiffened as he watched Abigail break through the crowd with Franklin.

"Oh look it's your patient." Bethes drawled.

"Dr. Lecter." Franklin said. "I found your charge."

"I got a little turned around in the crowd I'm afraid…" She said with a smile before turning to the woman. "Hello there, I'm Abigail Hobbs." She extended her hand.

"Such manners." She said with a smile taking her hand. "I'm Temperance Bethes. Pleasure to meet you."

"The pleasure is all mine…" Abigail said with a sweet smile.

"Look at that girlish blush she where's all the time." Bethes said with a smile as she touched her cheek. "Such smooth lily white skin… How do you stay so fair darling girl?"

"I'm Irish." She said and the woman laughed.

"Oh she's funny taboot. Hannibal you have to be careful with this one and leaving her alone someone may snatch her up…"

"Not if I can help it." Hannibal said with a smile.

"Franklin there you are." They turned to see Tobias.

"Oh Tobias there you are." Franklin said. Hannibal watched as the mans eyes rested on Abigail.

"Now now who is this lovely creature?" Bethes rolled her eyes and walked away.

"Mr. Budge it's me Abigail Hobbs." Hannibal looked to her.

"Miss Hobbs." He said with a smile. "I almost didn't recognize you."

"You two know each other?" Hannibal inquired.

"Mr. Budge used to teach music at my school."

"That was a long time ago." He said with a smile.

"What a small world." She said with a smile.

"It is indeed… Do you still play piano?"

"Sporadically." She said with a smile.

"Well that's too bad you had a lot of potential. How do you know Franklin?"

"Uhm… Am I allowed to say?" She asked Hannibal who nodded.

"She's the charge of Dr. Lecter." Franklin said and she looked to him. "I'm not shy about it we all need help sometimes." He said to Abigail as he touched her arm. Hannibal tilted his head at Franklins touch and relaxed when he finally pulled his hand away from her skin.

"You're lucky to be in the care of Dr. Lecter." Tobias said. "After what your father did I mean." She looked to him as did Hannibal.

"What did her father do?" Franklin asked blinking.

"Abigail's father was Garret Jacob Hobbs the infamous serial killer and cannibal." Tobias said locking eyes with her.

"Oh… Wow…" Franklin said as Abigail looked off.

"Come Abigail they've set out the champagne and refreshments." Hannibal said. "Good night gentleman." He said leading Abigail off.

"What is wrong with you?" He heard Franklin asked.

"You handled that well." Hannibal said.

"It's common knowledge I shouldn't be surprised when it's pointed out." She said. "Mr. Budge seems different though, I mean not less creepy, he's just more forward about it now." They made it to the drink station.

"Champagne for me, Abigail what would like?" He asked.

"Water is fine." She said with a sweet smile. The items were handed over and they slowly faced the crowd to see many were looking to Abigail.

"I think who I am has spread about…" She said quietly as she took a sip of water.

"No I don't think so at all, you're a new person introduced into this society it would be natural they would be curious about you…"

"Cannibal." Someone hissed as they walked by.

"Hate to say it Dr. Lecter but I think you're wrong…" She said softly.

"That was quite rude…" Hannibal muttered taking note of the man who he knew as Redford Bailey. The next time he was in need of fresh meat Redford would be the man to supply it. "Would you like to leave?" He asked.

"Only if you do." He looked her over before looking to the crowd that was whispering. Normally he would want to see how a person would react to the pressure of a crowd talking about them behind their back while they were aware. But for some reason he couldn't do such a thing to Abigail.

"Come let's head into the night, we can find more interesting things to do." He said and she smiled softly as she set her water down and they headed off.

-o-

For the next few days Hannibal and Abigail settled into a new routine. They would head into work together, come home and prepare a fine meal. Hannibal using the time to teach Abigail about the finer things. Then when the meal was done they would clean and head into the living room which now had two chairs and read silently for an hour before Abigail bid him good night and headed upstairs. Hannibal would stay down for an hour before heading up the stairs. He never went straight to his room though. He would walk down the hall and peek in on Abigail instead, to make sure she was still there. To make sure she was still safe. When he was satisfied that she was usually after re pulling the covers over her petite body he would head to his room and the next day their routine would happen again. So far neither had grown bored of it.

For the first time in near two weeks Abigail didn't go into work. She instead went out with Dr. Bloom for a day out on the town. Filled with shopping which Alana hoped concealed the counseling. When they got to the mall they walked around for a long moment before Alana looked to Abigail to see she was looking back.

"It's okay to ask question I know this isn't just a shopping trip." She said and Alana smiled.

"Alright, how is living with Hannibal going?" She asked.

"It's great, I'm learning a lot of new things… He took me to the opera two weeks ago… We saw Turandot."

"Did you enjoy yourself?"

"I did." She said with a genuine smile. "Afterwards though… People found out who I was and we had to leave…"

"How'd that make you feel?"

"I guess… Isolated…" She said and Alana was surprised she was being honest. "Dr. Lecter was very kind though and escorted me out… We went down the street and bought some books instead…" She smiled.

"You seem to like living with Dr. Lecter."

"I do, he's started letting me intern in his office."

"I know he told me… You two seem close."

"He's kind of taking the place of my dad, and I think that's a good thing… Is that a good thing?"

"Yes you could use a strong male figure in your life." She answered. This was the most she had gotten out of Abigail in sometime.

"I've been reading some of his books which are all on the mind… And it says that girls tend to look for men like their fathers to have romantic relations with."

"Usually…" She answered.

"I really hope it isn't too late to have Dr. Lecter affect me so I see him as a father figure and choose someone like him instead of like my father… Do you think it's too late?" She inquired.

"Honestly?"

"Yes." She said.

"You will always need to be very careful in the men you choose… Have you ever dated anyone before?"

"Dad forbid it." She said.

"My dad forbid me to date boys I still did it." Alana said and Abigail smiled softly.

"I did have someone…" She said quietly. "His name was Eli, but after what dad did to me and everything was found out he didn't even so much as break things off he just disappeared."

"Did you love him?"

"I don't think a seventeen year old can know what love is my brain isn't even fully developed."

"Very adult conclusion." Alana said.

"This would look pretty on you." Abigail said holding up a printed wrap dress to her.

"That's a very kind size you pulled." She said with a laugh as she pulled a different sized one. "I think you're right though and I do need some new dresses for work. You should try this one on." She said pulling a blue sundress."

"Also a very kind size." Abigail said pulling the right one. "Can I ask you a question now?"

"Sure."

"Are you and Will… You know." She made a strange hand movement and Alana laughed.

"No… We're just friends."

"I may not know about love being only seventeen but I do know about hormones and sexual tension and you two have the sexual tension going on…" Alana laughed.

"What would you know about sexual tension?" Alana asked. "You've had sex?"

"No just raped." She said and it caught Alana off guard. "But I have been standing in front of someone… their eyes locked on mine. Feeling their breath on my lips and know that in mere moments those lips would meet mind and for one single second the world would fall away and it would be just us…" Alana looked her over with a soft expression. "So yes I know a little bit about sexual tension." Alana laughed.

"You are an incredibly deep soul Abigail."

"I try now come on let's try these clothes on while you try to dive deep into my past." Alana laughed again.

-o-

Hannibal smiled as he watched Abigail head upstairs with her fresh new wardrobe. When she disappeared he looked to Alana who was smiling as well.

"So how did your shopping session go?" He inquired.

"Well she actually opened up to me a little… I'm surprised at how deep her thoughts can be… Just when I think I've got her pegged down she throws me for a loop… She said something odd though about her rape…"

"What?" he asked.

"Well she dismissed it completely." She said.

"She's compartmentalizing things." He said.

"I know but I'm not sure that's for the best… Still she is happier then I have ever seen…"

"That's because I am happy." She said coming back down. "These got mixed up." She handed her a shoe box.

"Ah thank you." Alana said taking them. "Well I think I'll be off… Have a good night you two."

"Have a good night Dr. Bloom." She said walking her to a door.

"Good night Alana."

"Good night you two." She said before leaving. Abigail walked to the door and closed it before locking it and smiling.

"How was shopping?" He asked and she turned.

"I got everything you said I'd need, so I am set." She said with a smile. "Dr. Bloom was very helpful."

"I have to ask you something." He said.

"Am I in trouble?"

"No." he said.

"Then yes ask me anything." He smiled.

"I'm having a guest over for dinner tomorrow, but I want you to stay upstairs, it's a sort of… Meeting."

"Of course I'll make myself scarce you won't even know I'm here." She said with a smile. "Do you want me to help you cook at least?"

"Yes I'd like that very much." He said.

"Oh here I'll return this to you now." She reached into her messenger bag. "I finished it." She handed him a book which he had loaned her not three days ago.

"Lucifer effect you finished?" he asked.

"Yep."

"Really?" he asked and she smiled as she walked over to a chair in the living room and knelt on it before facing him.

"Quiz me." She said with a challenging quirked eyebrow.

"Alright what's the main question of the book?" he asked.

"Easy, how is it possible for ordinary average people to become perpetrators of evil?" He walked over to the chair next to hers and sat down as she curled her feet under her.

"A quotation." He said.

"The most dramatic instances of directed behavior change and mind control are not the consequences of exotic forms of influence such as hypnosis psychotropic drugs or brain washing but rather the systematic manipulation of the most mundane aspects of human nature over time in confining settings."

"Very good." He said and she smiled. "Now your thoughts on the book." He said.

"Well…" She shrugged. "I don't know it was hard to be objective about it because I related to it so… But I think that it was unique in many ways. It provides an amazing detailed chronology of the transformations in human character that took place during that one experiment."

"I thought so too." He said with a smile. "So how did this help you with the issues of your father." She settled back in the chair and looked him over.

"Are you analyzing me?" She asked with a quirked eyebrow.

"No simply having a discussion." She looked him over for a long moment before looking off.

"I don't know maybe that I wasn't born a complete monster but made that way by the abuse inducted by my father." She said with a shrug.

"So there was abuse?" he asked and she just shrugged.

"He called it character building." She said before looking off. "I'm tired I'm going to go to bed."

"I was going to make pasta…"

"Thank you but I'm… I'm not very hungry." She said before heading away and Hannibal sighed as he watched her head up the stairs. He stayed down stairs for another hour. Not cooking. Not reading. Just wondering what he should do about Abigail. One minute the door was wide open for him to walk through the next it was shut and locked with a deadbolt.

He slowly headed upstairs. Careful to be quiet. After all he didn't want to wake Abigail up. Once she was awake she was awake until the next night when it was time to sleep once more. He walked to her room as he did every night and opened the door. He froze seeing she wasn't in her bed. Before he could panic his eyes shot to the chair by her book case to see her curled up in it a book laying across her lap as she slept. He smiled softly before walking over to her and taking the book away from her hands. He set it on her shelf before slowly picking her up in his arms and carrying her over to her bed.

He was always surprised at how light she was. It was like carrying a pillow instead of a body, and he should know, he had carried many bodies. He slowly laid her down in bed and pulled the covers up over her. He knelt down at the bed and pushed a strand of her red hair from her eyes. Hannibal smiled softly as he looked her over. The last time he had watched someone sleep it hadn't been to ensure their safety, but to wait their imminent death. He smiled as a fond memory slowly made its way to the forefront of his mind.

Dr. Clarkson lay nearly completely still on the cold metal table. The only movement he made was his chest rising and falling as he took slow deep breaths. Hannibal had to wonder if his meals usually took this long to wake up or if it was just because he was excited for Dr. Clarkson to wake that it seemed like it was taking a long time. He smiled as he watched Dr. Clarksons eyes shoot open.

"Hannibal?" he asked as he looked around before he tried to move only to find his hands taped down. "What the fuck is this!?"

"Don't yell such obscenities…" Hannibal said as he stood up straight. "It's rude…" He said walking to the end of the table where Dr. Clarkson would have to struggle to see him.

"What the hell is this?" he asked.

"You know what else was rude?" Hannibal asked as he reached to his table of tools. "Raping Abigail Hobbs."

"I didn't touch her… She's lying!"

"She doesn't lie… Not to me." Hannibal said.

"The bitch is lying!" Hannibal sliced his foot with the scalpel making Dr. Clarkson yell in pain as the skin ripped down to the muscle.

"Don't… Don't call her that." He said as he pulled the bloody scalpel away from his foot. "Now I have to get another…" he muttered throwing that one aside and unwrapping a new sterile scalpel.

"What the hell do you care!?" He asked. "Obviously you don't have an issue hurting people!"

"No… But I have an issue when people touching my things…" Hannibal said walking to Dr. Clarkson's side.

"She's a human being…"

"You treated her like an object though didn't you Dr. Clarkson?" Hannibal asked.

"What is your obsessions with her?" He asked his voice shaking. "Why do you even care?" Hannibal looked down at the scalpel. "Are you fucking her?" Hannibal grabbed onto his ear and with expert precision sliced it off. Dr. Clarkson screamed at the top of his lungs.

"Now look what you made me do, I have to get another scalpel…" he said tossing it away before unwrapping another one.

"You're crazy!"

"No I'm not, I know exactly what I'm doing…" He said. "You touched my Abigail… You made her feel so miserable that she took a bottle of Vicodin and sliced open her own throat." He said setting the scalpel on his jugular.

"Your Abigail?" He asked breathing hard. "She's not yours."

"You're very wrong about that…" He said as he looked over his body wondering which organ he was going to take from Clarkson first.

"Are you two in a relationship?"

"In a sense." He said.

_I'm sure Abigail would eat part of his liver if made to look like a pot roast…_

"In a sense?" he asked.

"I am her father…"

"Garrett Jacob Hobbs was her father."

"A bad one, I am her rightful father… Her teacher…"

"What are you teaching her?"

"Everything…" he said with a smile. "Now I think that's enough chit chat, it's rude to play with my food…"

"Food?" He asked. "Food what food!?" He yelled.

"Feel free to scream all you wish…" Hannibal said as he put a set of gloves on. "No one can hear you…"

"I'm going to pass out…" He said his breaths coming in fast and hard.

"Oh no you won't, I have adrenaline ready to shoot you up with… Don't you worry about that…"

"What are you doing!?" He yelled as he watched him set his hand on his chest. "What are you doing Hannibal!?"

"I'm going to extract your kidneys, liver, spleen, lungs, and while your brain is still aware of what's going on I will rip out your still beating heart and show you it before you expire." Before Dr. Clarkson could say anything Hannibal made his first incision and the mans head threw back as he let out a silent scream of agony.

"Hannibal?" His eyes snapped forward as he was pulled out of his memory. He looked to the window to see it was light. "What are you doing in my room?" Abigail asked softly as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes.

"I came to wake you…" he said lying quickly, only to find it tasted foul. "Get ready I need your help to prepare for the dinner with that acquaintance tonight."

"Oh okay." She said sitting up. Hannibal looked her over surprised. There wasn't a hair out of place. It was like she had been resting her eyes not sleeping. "I'll get a shower and get dressed."

"We leave in an hour." He said as he headed to the door as he closed it he watched Abigail walk into her bathroom. As the door closed he caught a glimpse of her taking off her shirt and he quickly glanced away before his hand slid down his suit and he walked down the hallway to his own room.


	4. Battle Royale

Abigail and Hannibal got out of the car and looked around the sleepy Baltimore village.

"This place is quaint." She said.

"Here the market is down the street I have some business to take care of if you would start gathering the items for dinner tonight." He said handing her the list.

"Sure." She said with a smile before she headed off the heels of her boots clicking as she moved. Hannibal watched her until he saw her enter the store safe and sound. He looked forward at the music store ahead of him and smiled softly before moving forward towards the door. It was time to pay a visit to Mr. Budge and invite him for dinner that night.

Abigail smiled as she pushed the cart through the store and grabbed the items needed. There was no mistaking what she should get and what she shouldn't. The grocery list Hannibal had written was very specific. She picked up a bottle of olive oil and looked it over. She put it back before looking over at the other oils. She didn't see the one he asked for. She looked around before spotting a young man around her own age who seemed to work for the store.

"Uhm Hello…" She said and he turned to her before smiling. He had blonde hair and deep brown eyes. She instantly knew he was one attractive guy. "Hi…"

"Hi." He said with a smile as he walked up. "Need help?"

"Yes I don't see the Olive oil I need…" she handed the list and pointed out the one she needed.

"Oh we carry that in the back you just need a bottle?" he asked.

"Yeah just one please."

"You sure that's a 32 dollar bottle of Olive Oil."

"Yes I'm sure."

"Alright then…" he said with a smile before looking her over and heading away. A few minutes later he came back with a bottle wrapped in plastic paper and tied off with a gold ribbon. "This stuff is fancy." He said.

"Yeah the guy I live with has fancy taste." She said.

"Wow I thought you were like my age…"

"How old are you?" she asked.

"Seventeen."

"Same here." She said with a smile.

"And you live with some guy?" he asked with a smile.

"Oh he's my guardian… It's not anything… Like that… Like a boyfriend." He slowly nodded as he looked her over.

"So… No boyfriend then?" he asked.

"Uhm… No." She said with a small smile as she tucked a strand of red hair behind her ear.

"Want one?" he asked and she laughed as did he.

"What's so funny?" She turned to see Hannibal.

"Nothing… Uhm David…" she said reading his name label. "Was just helping me with the olive oil you wanted." She said handing him the bottle.

"Well…" He said looking it over before looking to the young man. "You've helped."

"That's my queue to leave isn't it?" he asked and Hannibal nodded. "Alright then, maybe I'll see you around sometime Abigail."

"Maybe." She said and Hannibal eyed her as the young man smiled and backed away.

"Bye then." He said with a small laugh.

"Bye." She said and he laughed again before disappearing around a corner.

"I sent you hear to get groceries not flirt…" Hannibal said and she eyed him.

"I wasn't flirting, I was being flirted with… Totally different. Besides that's the last of the items." She said with a smile.

"Let's check out then." He said as she pushed the cart away.

When they got to the car with the items. Hannibal as usual opened her door and let her slip in before going around the car and getting in himself. Abigail noticed how quiet he was as he revved the engine and drove away. After a half an hour of driving she took a small breath and looked to him to find he was glancing at her. She looked back at the road a little startled.

"Did you like that young man?"

"What?" she asked looking to him.

"The young man, David, back at the store. Did you like him?"

"I don't know… He was okay I guess…" She said. "Kind of cute and funny."

"Cute and funny, that's what you look for in a partner?"

"I'm not really looking for a partner as someone I may want to pass the time with on weekends or something." Abigail stated with a shrug.

"We pass the time."

"You know what I mean…" She said looking down at her hands.

"No I don't…"

"Well I mean have a fling with, I can't have a fling with you, you're too old… No offense." She said quickly looking to him. "You know it's just it's illegal."

"Only for another month and a half." She sat up and looked him over. Before she could ask what he meant he looked to her. "Speaking of which what do you want to do for your birthday?"

"Oh uhm… I don't know." She said with a shrug. "Maybe dinner with you Will and Dr. Bloom… Something like we usually do with them… Only maybe with cake or something."

"That sounds like a fine evening." He said with an approving nod.

"When is your birthday Hannibal?" She asked.

"A while from now."

"What month?"

"A while." She laughed and he smiled.

"You're not going to tell me really?" she asked. "How will I know when to get you a present?"

"You don't have to get me a present."

"Sure I do." She said with a smile. "Can I at least know how old you are?" She asked.

"I'll be 37." He said.

"You're not as old as I thought."

"How old did you think I was?" he asked and she just smiled cheekily making him smile.

"It's the hair I think."

"What's wrong with my hair?"

"Nothing it's fine." She said with another smile.

"Are you giving me a hard time?" She laughed and he smiled. "Very nice Abigail…"

"I thought so." She said with a smile. When they got to the house they carried in the items to the kitchen and as usual put everything away before taking out the items they needed. "Let's get to cooking." Abigail said with a smile as she watched Hannibal sharpen his knives.

-o-

Hannibal watched Abigail disappear behind the hidden wall before he opened the door. He smiled with a nod as his eyes set upon Tobias.

"Good evening Dr. Lecter." He said.

"Good evening Tobias do come in." he said as he stepped aside. As Tobias walked in he looked all around.

"You have a beautiful home."

"Thank you…" he said.

"It's… Warmer than I expected it to be, in feeling, not in temperature. Franklin says your office is a bit cold I thought your home would mimic the feeling."

"Well Abigail has helped brighten things up a bit."

"Yes she was a bubbly child I doubt that has changed much." Tobias said.

"Shall we?" he asked motioning to the dining room. They walked in and Tobias stopped seeing only two plates.

"Will Abigail not be joining us?"

"No she's over at a friends' place tonight." He said.

"Ah teenage girls do like their sleep overs."

"Yes they do." He said. "Wine?" he asked.

"Please." Tobias said as he sat down and Hannibal poured him a glass. "She's grown up a lot… Abigail… I never made the connection when Franklin said his therapist had a new receptionist named Abigail… It would make sense she would be your charge considering the work you did on the Hobbs case."

"You seem to know a lot about the Hobbs case…" Hannibal said as he sat down and took a deep inhale of his wine.

"I'm an avid reader of crime sites." He said.

"As am I."

"People like us usually are…" He said before taking a bite of baguette. "That is exquisite…"

"Thank you, Abigail helped me make it." He said.

"She will be a fine cook under your tutelage no doubt…" He said. "I see you had a piano in your living room, does Abigail ever play for you?"

"I'm afraid not…" He said. "Was she talented?"

"She was, she had a true gift and natural ear…" He said. "If she were to start up again we could possibly salvage her potential, I teach Piano as well you see."

"A man of many talents…"

"You have no idea." He said. The dinner went on and all the while they danced around the subject of the murder of the trombone player. Still Tobias would leave hints here and there, hints that in all honesty were wearing Hannibal thin.

"More wine?" he asked over their dinner.

"Yes please." Tobias said. "Is it French?"

"Virginian…" He said. "I was skeptical about trying a Virginia wine but I find the grapes quite pleasant." He said.

"It's not Oaky considering it's a Chard."

"They make it in steel barrels…" Hannibal said as he sat down. "Tobias I hate to be blunt but did you kill that Trombonist?"

"Do you really have to ask me that Dr. Lecter?" he inquired with a near smirk.

"No of course not, I just wanted to change the subject, and get to why we're both really here." Tobias smiled.

"I see Franklin gave you my message."

"You know that the murder is being investigate by the FBI, and that they will find you." He said as he took a bite of his food. Abigail had made the sauce all by herself and he found it quite pleasing to his pallet. He looked to Tobias plate to see he had hardly touched it. "You're not eating… It's quite rude… Abigail worked hard on this dish…"

"The FBI can come and when they do I'll kill them and then Franklin and I'll disappear." Hannibal took a moment to mull over his words as he looked over his wine.

"Don't kill Franklin…"

"Why not?"

"He has one of the most expensive spots on my list, it would be hard to fill his time slot." Hannibal said. "I do hate being inconvenienced."

"But I've been so looking forward to it." Tobias said making Hannibal look to him. "In all honestly I was going to kill you."

"I know… I'm lean… Lean animals produce very tough gut, perfect to make strings out of." He said. "What stopped you?"

"Well then I saw pretty thin Abigail." Hannibal put his fork and knife down as his jaw clenched and he raised his eyes to Tobias who was smirking.

"What stopped you from killing her? You've had a few chances to do so…"

"I've been waiting for this." Tobias said.

"I see…"

"Also I've been thinking twice about it for the reason I stopped thinking about killing you… You see I followed you one night to a lonely road, and then to a bus yard…"

"Very reckless Tobias…" Hannibal said as he took another bite of food.

"Don't worry I won't tell anyone what I saw you do that night… And do…" he laughed. "Very well if I may say so… Tell me does Abigail know what you are?"

"I'm going to ask you politely to stop talking about my young charge." Hannibal said his eyes narrowing on the man.

"Why?"

"Your lips don't deserve to speak her name." he said and Tobias smiled softly. "You're doing reckless things reckless things that draw attention to not only you…"

"I could use a friend… Someone who looks at the world the same way I do…"

"I know exactly who you feel… But I do not wish to be your friend Tobias…"

"Then why did you invite me here for dinner. Was it just to restring your harpsichord?"

"Because I wish to kill you more then to have your friendship Tobias." His eyes glanced to the food. "That would be too obvious, besides I would never do that to the food Abigail worked so hard to help me prepare…" A door bell sounded and they both didn't remove their eyes from one another.

"Expecting someone?"

"No…" He said.

"Better get it…" Hannibal sighed before walking off. He walked to the door and opened it to see Will covered in snow.

"I kissed Alana." He said.

Abigail tilted her head as she watched a familiar form disappear through the snow. She wondered why Hannibal hadn't told her it was Tobias who was coming to dinner. She watched the man stop and turn to look at the house. He looked straight at her and she froze as a chill shot up her spine. He smiled at her in a way that was not kind before running to his car. She slowly pulled her curtains close and look around her room.

-o-

Hannibal walked down the hallway to check on Abigail as he did every night. He opened the door and stopped seeing the lights on. He looked to see Abigail sitting up on her bed a notebook laid in her lap as she ran a pencil over the page.

"It's nearly one in the morning, what are you doing up?" He asked and she looked to him.

"I couldn't sleep…" She said as he walked over.

"Do you want something to help you? I had a light sedative that might work." she shook her head. "Will you promise to at least try and sleep?"

"Why didn't you tell me it was Mr. Budge who came to dinner?" he looked her over for a long moment.

"How did you know? Eves dropping is rude Abigail…"

"I wasn't eves dropping I was looking outside while trying to draw the trees and I saw him racing through the garden in the snow… He stopped and turned and looked right at me… I could easily recognize him even if it was dark."

"What did he do when he saw you?"

"Gave me this kind of… Twisted smile." She said. "The kind Dr. Clarkson and my dad used to give me." He slowly nodded. "Why didn't you tell me it was him coming to Dinner?"

"I know that you find him creepy… I didn't want you to worry."

"You're lying to me." She said and he sat up. No one had ever been able to tell that he was lying to them. "If you didn't want to say you could have just said you didn't want to say. It's rude to lie Hannibal…" He smiled softly as he looked off.

"I didn't want to say." He said as he looked back to her.

"Oddly enough that's a lie too…" She muttered as she looked over her drawing. "Can you help me with this I can't get the branches right and it's keeping me awake." She handed him her drawing, thus changing the subject.

"Sure…" he said with a smile as he took her pencil in hand. "I'm going to have to give you a scalpel to sharpen this with…" he said looking over the dull pencil.

"Scalpel?" she asked.

"The only way to sharpen a pencil." He said with a smile.

-o-

A few days had passed since that night with Tobias. Hannibal had seemed on edge, and in so being, he had put Abigail on edge. Still she sat smiling softly at her desk as she ran over a sketch book Hannibal had given her with a freshly sharpened pencil. A pencil she had sharpened with an actual scalpel, which had also been given to her by Hannibal. The door opened and she stood.

"Good morning Mr. Debrow, if you'll take a seat Dr. Lecter will be with you shortly, can I get you some water?"

"No thank you Abigail." Franklin said with a smile as he sat down. "You know you say the same thing to me every time."

"It's what Dr. Lecter wants me to say every time." She said with a smile.

"You know I never got to apologize."

"Apologize?" She asked perking up as she looked him over. "What for?"

"For my friend Tobias."

"Mr. Budge?" she asked. "What did he do?"

"You know… Mentioning your dad at the opera… That wasn't Okay."

"Its common knowledge Mr. Debrow it's fine." She said with a smile. The door opened and Franklin stood as Hannibal smiled.

"Franklin do come in…" He said as he stepped aside. Before walking in the office himself Hannibal walked over to her desk and looked over to look at Abigail's drawing of his office.

"Straighten those lines Abigail." He said pointing them out and she fixed them. "Good." He said with a smile as he patted her on the back and headed into his office. The door closed and Abigail smiled as she looked over her drawing. Hannibal had suggested she work on some architectural drawings seeing as she had gotten so good at Portraits of animals, people, and nature. After a while of drawing the door opened and she stood. Before she could do her usual greeting she stopped.

"Mr. Budge?" She asked seeing Tobias looking around the office. "You're not on the schedule… Oh you must be here to wait for Franklin." He looked to her and she froze before grabbing a napkin for the waters. She walked to his side her eyes wide. "Mr. Budge you're bleeding." She went to reach for him only to have him smack her hand away before gripping onto her arm. "Mr. Budge-."

"Shut up." He said before walking to the office door.

"No you can't come in here when he's seeing patients." She said quickly as he burst through the door. "Mr. Budge this is very rude." She muttered as Hannibal and Franklin stood. "I'm sorry, Hannibal he just barged in." she said.

"Remove your hand from her arm." Hannibal said his eyes narrowing on Tobias.

"You were saying Franklin about turning me in?" Tobias asked calmly as he threw Abigail to the floor.

"Tobias you can't throw people like that." Franklin said as Abigail slowly got up. "Abigail are you okay?"

"I'm fine…" She said more to Hannibal who was looking at her with concern.

"Tobias oh my god, is that blood, is that your blood?" Franklin inquired.

"I've come to say goodbye… I've just killed two men… The police and an FBI specialist came to ask me about the murder of the trombonist.

"Will?" She asked.

"Yes his name was Will…" Tobias said glancing to her. "Will Grahm…"

"What did you do to him?" She asked her eyes narrowing. He just smiled and she took a deep breath.

"Look Tobias…" Franklin said. "This plane… It's going down… Let it have a controlled landing… We can get you up in the air again…" Abigail slowly moved backwards towards a phone. "There's rehabilitation for everyone."

"Franklin I want you and Abigail to leave now." Hannibal said.

"Franklin don't move a muscle and Abigail." She froze as Tobias looked to her. "Make one more move towards that phone and I will cut you down where you stand…" She quirked an eyebrow in what seemed like challenge and Hannibal tilted his head as he looked over the expression.

"You've done something horrible Tobias…" Franklin said and Tobias looked to him. "I know that you wish you hadn't, that you'd do anything to change it… But you can't…" Abigail looked over Franklin. He had no idea what he was doing or saying. He wasn't soothing Tobias he was just pissing him off more. She looked to Hannibal to see he was smirking lightly, and she wondered how he could be so cool in this situation. Her heart was pounding a hundred miles an hour in her chest. "I know you probably feel alone… Scared-."

"I'm not alone." Tobias said taking a step forward.

"No… No you're not." Franklin said with a smile as Abigail watched Tobias lock eyes with Hannibal who started to walk up behind Franklin. "You have done nothing to ruin our relationship-." Abigail jumped as Hannibal snapped Franklins neck dropping him still to the ground.

"Oh my god…" She whispered her hand going to her chest.

"I was looking forward to doing that Dr. Lecter." Tobias said.

"Well, I saved you the trouble, besides I've had to listen to his drabble for near a year now, I think I deserved it a bit more then you…" Abigail looked to him with wide eyes. "Abigail run. Now." Hannibal said. She went to make a move only to have Tobias catch her and throw her back. She rolled across the ground her head hitting the wall and knocking her out cold. "You really shouldn't have done that." Hannibal said seeing blood on her forehead.

"She's a waste of talent once I'm done with you." He threw his jacket away to reveal a piano wire connected to handle in his hand. "I'll rip the guts from her still breathing body…" He started to swing the wire all which way before lunging at Hannibal.

Abigail slowly took a breath. Her head was pounding. So loud and so hard she could feel it pumping in her ears. She took a breath as she ran her fingers through her hair only to find her hand grow sticky. She pulled it back to see red crimson covering her fingertips. She slowly sat up and her eyes went to Franklin who still lay dead and still on the ground. She heard a loud crash and jumped before looking to Hannibal and Tobias who were locked in a fight that wasn't going to end without one of them dying. She watched as Hannibal head budded Tobias before throwing him onto his desk where Tobias grabbed his letter opener as Hannibal tackled him off the piece of furniture.

Abigail saw a bloody piece of piano wire with two handles and grabbed it as she heard Hannibal yell out in pain. She Jumped to her feet and rushed forward as she watched Tobias slam Hannibal onto his desk and raise the knife above his head. Hannibal caught the hand but before he could do anything else Abigail jumped onto Tobias back and wrapped the wire around his neck.

"Get off of him!" She yelled as Tobias fell backwards slamming his full body weight onto hers. Hannibal jumped to his feet as Tobias rolled onto his knees Abigail still on his back. He choked as he grabbed onto the back of her shirt and threw her forward her back slamming into the ground. Before Hannibal could do anything Tobias slammed the knife into her shoulder making her cry out in pain as he pulled back and went to do it again.

"No!" Hannibal caught onto his arm knocking the knife from his hand. Abigail watched as Tobias leapt onto his feet and slammed his fist across Hannibal's face. Before she could do anything Tobias turned and kicked her in the stomach sending her sprawling across the ground as her cheek smacked against the hard wood floor. She smiled softly as she grabbed a hold of the phone which had been knocked off the desk and dialed for help.

"**Nine one one assistance what can I do for you?" **

"Please we need help this man is trying to kill us-." The phone line went dead and she looked to see that in the scuffle the line had been torn from the wall. "God damn it."

"I'm going to kill you and then I'm going to kill that pesky little bitch!" Tobias yelled as he kicked Hannibal in the stomach slamming him into the wall. She watched as he grabbed onto Hannibal and threw him to the ground before taking the piano wire off his own neck and wrapping it around Hannibal's.

"No…" Abigail grabbed the letter opener and ran at Tobias stabbing him in the shoulder. He stood up quickly and grabbed her by the collar of her blazer before punching her across the face and slamming her up against a wall.

"You die first hear me!?" he bellowed his hand gripping around her neck as he pushed her up the wall strangling her as her feet dangled above the ground.

She stabbed the letter opener into his arm again and he yelled as he grabbed it with his free hand and went to stab her in the side. She blocked it before kicking him in the stomach causing her to the drop the ground. As she struggled to regain her breath he kicked her in the stomach and she cried out as she flew a good two feet into the wall.

"You always were such a stubborn child." Tobias said as he took the bloody knife in hand once more. Before he could move to slit her throat Hannibal moved forward and knocked it from his hands.

Tobias turned and slammed his fist over and over into his face before pulling his head down into his knee and round house kicking him in the stomach. Hannibal stumbled back into the ladder of his office. Tobias went to punch him but Hannibal parried the hit with the use of the ladder snapped the arm against the wood before slamming his fist into the mans throat. Tobias buckled to the ground as he gasped for air, his hand over his own throat.

Abigail opened her eyes just in time to watch Hannibal bring a massive stag statue down over Tobias's head. Instantly killing him as he fell forward to the ground dead. He dropped the statue and knocked over its stand before quickly turning to look at her.

"You won…" She said as he rushed to her side. He put a blue handkerchief he had been holding to her side which was bleeding profusely. "I'm fine." She said gradually sitting up against the wall. She slowly cupped his cheek and he looked her over. "You on the other hand look like hell." He laughed and she smiled.

"You haven't seen you…" he said seeing a shiner across her cheek and her lip and eyebrow split.

"Trust me I've had worse…" She said softly.

"Why did you jump in?" he asked after a long moment. She suddenly grabbed the letter opener and Hannibal froze as she stabbed it past his head. He slowly looked to see Tobias over his shoulder his eyes wide as the letter opener stabbed him in the middle of his neck.

"Know when you're beaten…" Abigail said and Hannibal watched as she twisted the letter opener blood instantly flowing from his neck as Tobias fell back to the ground well and dead. Hannibal slowly looked to her to see her hands steady as they could ever be. She looked at the dead body before sighing heavily.

"How am I going to explain that?" She asked. "How are we going to explain any of this?"

"We're going to tell them everything that happened." He said as he set his hand on her cheek.

"Even you killing Franklin?" his eyes locked on hers as his thumb brushed against her bottom lip which had blood on it.

"No…" He said.

"Tobias did that." She said. "Then he tried to kill us."

"Exactly…"

"Hello?" Hannibal looked over his shoulder to see a police officer.

"Come quickly she needs help!" Hannibal called. He looked back to Abigail to see she had a soft expression as she looked him over.

"That's three times you've saved my life now… How am I going to repay you?" she asked.

"You already have."


	5. A Lie

**AN: Hey guys sorry for the late update I lost all the chapters I wrote in a computer crash and had to re write them but i'm all up to date now lol**

**Uhm someone asked what songs I listen to when I write this so here they are :**

**Staring role-Marina and the Diamonds**

**Gone- Iona Gika**

**Rootless- Marina and the Diamonds **

**Dirty and Clean- Stephanie Schneiderman**

**Rabbit Heart- Florence and The Machine **

**As always REVIEW PLEASE! **

-o-

Abigail sighed as the nurse finally left. She had been in the hospital nearly all night, and had no intention of staying for the rest of it. She pulled the covers off her body and slowly began to sit up. She felt like she had gone ten rounds with Mike Tyson. Tobias hadn't held back in his attack, and she was feeling the effects of his viciousness. In the end she had three broken ribs, a bruised pelvis, a stab wound to her shoulder that need a good amount of stiches, and a concussion to top it all off. She moved her feet over the side of the bed and froze when the door opened.

"Oh it's you." She said with a smile seeing Hannibal.

"What are you doing?" he asked seeing her get out of bed.

"I'm going to slowly walk over and slip my feet into my shoes and then we're going to your house." She said her feet touching the ground.

"No."

"No?" she asked as he walked over. "Hannibal." He lifted her up into the air and put her back down into the bed. "What's up?" she asked as he tossed the blankets over her body.

"You have been beaten and stabbed-."

"So have you-."

"I am a man-."

"That's is so chauvinistic."

"Good vocabulary but you're still staying here over night-."

"Han-."

"You need to be kept overnight for observation."

"But I don't want to stay here I want to go home." Hannibal looked to her for a long moment. "What?" she asked.

"That's the first time you referred to it as home…"

"Well…" She shifted in the bed. "It is home to me… It's where I lay my head at night, where I feel comfortable and safe, this place is not home… I don't feel comfortable or safe here Hannibal." He looked her over. "Can we go home?" he looked off with a sigh. "Please?" He smiled and she did too knowing she was winning him over. "Please Hannibal."

"Fine." He said looking to her and she smiled. "Let me get a wheelchair."

"Only if you have one." She said seeing the medical cane they had given him for his leg which Tobias had stabbed. "We can race." She said wiggling her eyebrows and he shook his head as he smiled and walked over to her shoes. He brought them over as she moved her legs over the side of the bed. Before Abigail could take the shoes Hannibal took her foot in hand and slowly slipped the flat onto her foot. She smiled softly as he did the other one before patting her knee. "Stay here I'll be right back I have to talk to the doctors tell them you're leaving."

"Okay." She said with a nod as he walked out of the room. She looked around the area before she heard the door open. "Back al-." she stopped seeing Jack and Alana. "Mr. Crawford, Dr. Bloom if you're looking for Dr. Lec-."

"Looking for you Miss Hobbs." Jack said and she resisted the urge to sigh with irritation.

"Are you going to arrest me?" Abigail asked.

"Why would I do that?"

"You arrest me a lot." He nodded as he looked off.

"That's fair." Alana said.

"It is indeed, but no I'm not here to arrest you." He said before looking to her. "I'm here to talk about what happened in Dr. Lecters office."

"What's there to discuss his patient's friend went nuts and tried to kill us." She said.

"How are you feeling about that?" Alana asked.

"I'm just thankful Dr. Lecter and I are able to walk away from it."

"I'm sure you're very thankful to Dr. Lecter." Jack said as Hannibal walked in with a wheelchair. "He did save your life by killing Tobias."

"What?" she asked looking to Hannibal.

"Abig-."

"No, no he didn't kill Tobias I did." Abigail said pointing to herself. "I mean sure he knocked him out but Tobias nearly killed Hannibal at the end I s-stabbed him in the throat." She said her voice breaking.

"She's in shock." Hannibal said walking to her side. "She doesn't know-."

"No I'm not please don't arrest him it was me." Abigail said looking to Jack. "Don't arrest him."

"I don't arrest people for self-defense." Jack said.

"It wasn't him…" Abigail repeated. "I killed Mr. Budge Mr. Crawford…"

"I know… the angles were wrong." Jack said with a nod.

"Are you going to arrest me?" She asked and he shifted on his feet. "Who am I kidding, of course you are…" Alana couldn't help but smile as she looked off.

"Like I said I don't arrest people for self defense." He said. "Just wanted the truth… Dr. Lector." Hannibal looked to him. "Don't lie to me again."

"Sorry I just, wanted to protect her, I'm sure you can understand why… Abigail has been the subject of a witch hunt for months… I didn't want this to further tarnish her reputation."

"She'll be hailed as a hero, if anything it will resurrect her reputation." Alana said with a smile which Abigail returned.

"You stabbed Mr. Budge perfectly…" She looked to Jack. "Severed the artery near…" He looked her over. "Perfectly."

"I kind of just stuck the knife out and he landed on it… I think he lost his footing or something…" Abigail said quietly.

"I'm taking her home now." Hannibal said helping Abigail down into the wheelchair.

"Where's yours we were supposed to race?" She asked as he wheeled her out and Alana tilted her head as she watched the exchange.

"She's not the monster you think she is Jack." She said before leaving herself.

-o-

The car ride was quiet almost unnaturally so. Hannibal kept eyeing Abigail out of the corner of his eye. He could tell something was on her mind but was unsure of what it was. When they finally got to the house he pulled into the drive way and got out and walked around to Abigail's door. He opened it up as he always did and waited. When Abigail didn't move he tilted his head.

"Abigail?" she stirred and looked to him.

"Oh sorry." She said with a soft expression as she slowly got out. He closed the door and followed Abigail to the front door as she unlocked it with her key. Hannibal pushed it open and held it for her as she walked through into the house shrugging off her coat as she did before hanging it up on the coat hanger.

"Are you hungry?" He asked shrugging off his own coat. "It's nearing early in the morning we could make a fine breakfast for ourselves." He said walking past her into the kitchen.

"Sure…" she said following him. Ever since they had left the hospital she hadn't been able to keep her mind from traveling to places she had forced herself not to for months.

"What do you feel like? Crepes, pancakes, Belgium waffles, my personal favorite." He looked to Abigail who was standing in the doorway with an unsure look. "Abigail come take a seat I don't want you on your feet…" She slowly nodded and walked over to the counter sitting up on a barstool. "So what do you think Waffles, Bacon, some eggs?"

"Why did you kill Franklin?" He looked at her for a long moment and she smiled softly. "And that sounds wonderful." He smiled as he walked to his cabinet to retrieve his waffle maker.

"Why do you think I killed Franklin?"

"I don't know."

"You must have a theory."

"Because you felt you had to."

"Yes… Franklin had learned too much about me."

"I know… A lot about you." Hannibal stopped as he grabbed his waffle maker before slowly retrieving it and turning to look at her.

"Are you afraid I'll kill you Abigail?" He asked as he set the waffle maker down on the counter before her.

"Did… Did you call my house that day my dad flipped out?" He looked her over for a long moment to see she wasn't bringing her eyes to his.

"You didn't answer my question... I asked if you think I would kill you?" She took a deep breath and Hannibal cupped her cheek her eyes slowly raising to his. "I take your silence as a yes."

"I'm not… Afraid of you… I'm afraid of what you can do to me."

"A wise fear to have… but an unneeded one…" He said with a soft expression. "I." he touched her nose and she smiled. "Would never hurt you Abigail… Understand?" she nodded.

"Yeah… I understand."

"Good now do you know anything about whisking eggs?"

"I'm practically a master at it." She said and he smiled as he walked over to the refrigerator and grabbed a carton of eggs.

"Whisk six of these."

"Okay." As she did as he said she kept thinking to the one question she hadn't asked him. Something that had been plaguing her for months.

"Your mind is still far away…" She looked to Hannibal. "What is it Abigail?"

"We're… Honest with each other aren't we?"

"Yes." He said making the batter for the waffles.

"If I asked you a question and implored you to be honest, you would be?" He looked to her.

"Of course you would do the same with me."

"I would…" She said nodding with a soft expression as she looked him over. "Were you the man on the phone?" He stopped folding the batter and stared at her. "Hannibal… Did you call my dad that day and warn him that you and Will were coming?"

"No." She felt her anger rise like never before.

"Liar." She said before getting up and walking out. Hannibal's jaw clenched as he followed her.

"Abigail." She pushed through the false wall leading to the stair well and he quickly followed her through before grabbing a hold of her arm and whipping her around.

"Let go of me." She said with a dangerous look. He slowly relinquished her arm not because he was afraid of her but because he wanted her to be comfortable. "You're a liar."

"I didn't call that day-."

"Your voice isn't exactly unrecognizable Hannibal."

"Abigail… It's rude to interrupt…"

"What are you going to do, eat me?" His eyes narrowed. "I asked you if we were honest with one another you say yes and the next second you lie right to my face. I'm supposed to be able to trust you Hannibal… How can I trust you if you don't trust me."

"I do trust you…"

"No… You don't." she said before turning and heading up the stairs. "I doubt you have it within you to trust anyone anymore." She said quietly as she walked into her room and closed the door. Hannibal looked down at the place she had been standing before walking down the stairs his cane in hand. He was angry with himself, why he wasn't entirely sure.

After cleaning for an hour downstairs, and making himself breakfast, which he didn't eat he did finally figure it out. Abigail had put her life in his hands. She trusted him completely which was hard for her to do after everything she had been through. He looked down at the food he had made and smiled before getting a tray ready. When he was done putting together a nice try he headed to the false wall and backed up into it before heading up the stairs.

"Abigail…" he knocked on the door and waited. "Abigail?" he slowly headed into the room figuring she was sleeping. He froze when he saw she wasn't in bed. He put the tray down as he looked around. "Abigail?" he looked all around the room before spotting the window laying open his jaw instantly clenching.

-o-

Will stirred in bed his jaw clenching. He had had a dream. A dream he couldn't remember. In all honesty those were the dreams he hated more than anything. He hated thinking there was something in his mind he couldn't reach. He looked to his dogs and stopped seeing they were all staring at the door. Will slowly got up and crossed the area from his bed to his front door. He peered out through the window and quickly opened the door.

"Abigail?" he asked and she quickly got up and turned.

"Will… Hey." She said. He walked out and looked around the porch.

"What time is it is, is Hannibal with you?"

"It's four in the morning and no…" She said shifting on her feet.

"It's cold out here, come inside." He said and she nodded as she followed him in. Will looked down at himself to see he had only boxer briefs on. "I'm going to get some clothes on."

"Okay… Can I pet your dogs?"

"Sure." He said with a smile walking into his bathroom. He pulled on a pair of jeans and a grey t shirt. He came out of the bathroom and stopped seeing Abigail sitting on her knees with a lost look as she stared at the dogs who stared back at her.

"I don't think they like me…" She said quietly. "Maybe they don't… Trust me."

"Something wrong Abigail?" Will asked. She slowly looked to him and Will tilted his head as he watched her eyes well up. "Hey are you alright?" he asked walking to her quickly and kneeling before her. "Is this about Tobias, I saw the scene, I know what you had to do…"

"It's about a lot of things…" She said. "I think it's all just piled up on me, I'm sorry I didn't come over here to cry, I just needed to get away from Hannibal…"

"Why did you need to get away from Hannibal?"

"I just needed some space."

"Needed some space and you come here with me and a pack full of dogs?" She smiled.

"You don't crowd me and I didn't know you had dogs." She said with a smile as she looked to the dogs who were just staring at her. "I really don't think they like me…"

"They just don't know you…" Will said wondering why the dogs weren't coming to her.

"Or maybe they know what I've done…" he slowly looked to her to see she was staring down at her hands which lay in her lap. "Dogs can sense things like that about people right?" She asked.

"Sense what?"

"That there's something wrong with them… With their soul…" He tilted his head.

"Do you think there's something wrong with your soul Abigail?" her jaw clenched.

"Maybe that I don't have one anymore…" She said softly and the admission cut through the air like a knife. "Will…" She slowly brought her eyes to him. "I don't want to lie to you anymore…"

"You've been lying?"

"I-." The phone rang making both jump.

"Go on Abigail…"

"It's fine… That's probably Hannibal." He stared at her for a long moment before nodding and walking over to his bed and picking up his cell phone.

"She's here." He said answering it. "She's fine, hanging out with the dogs, I could bring her over in the-. Okay." He nodded and hung up the phone.

"He's angry." She said and Will shook his head.

"I think he was more worried than angry…" He looked her over. "He's on his way, well he already was, he'll be here any minute now…"

"I'll wait on the porch, thanks for letting me inside." She said heading to the door. Abigail walked outside and stopped seeing Hannibal's car pulling into the driveway. She stared at him for a long moment. He looked angry, she didn't blame him. She had snuck out. He slowly got out of the car and stared at her.

"Abigail." He greeted and she shifted on her feet. "Will."

"Dr. Lecter." He said with a nod as he walked to Abigail's side.

"Thanks again Will." Abigail said and he smiled.

"Any time." She nodded as she walked down the porch steps. "Abigail?" She turned and looked at him when she reached the car. "What were you talking about before, the lying?" She felt Hannibal's eyes rest on her and she couldn't help but stiffen under his gaze.

"My truth is likely to be my death bed." She said and Hannibal smiled as he looked off. "But I'll tell you someday I'm sure…" Will only nodded. "Night."

"Before you go…" Will said coming down the porch steps. "I thought you two might want to have dinner at my place coming up, I'm not as good a cook as Dr. Lecter but I'm sure I could whip something up."

"We would never refuse an invitation." Hannibal said.

"Sounds great." Abigail said with a smile. "Hannibal has been teaching me how to cook I could help."

"I would never refuse the offer of help." Will said. "I'll call you with the details?" He asked Hannibal.

"Sure. Good night Will."

"Night guys." He said with a wave before heading into his house. Abigail reached for her door handle and stopped when Hannibal's hand reached past her and took it in hand before she could. He opened the door and she slowly got in.

"Thank-." He shut the door before she could finish. "Lovely…"

"Hey…" Will said and Hannibal looked to him. "Go easy on her."

"I only plan on taking her phone away I assure you." Will nodded with a smile before heading into his house and shutting the door. There was something about the way Abigail had looked when she had spotted Hannibal. She had almost looked, scared.

"Why would she be scared?" He asked his dogs who seemed to shrug.

Hannibal got into the car and closed the door before revving the engine and driving off. He was seething. He had asked her one thing. Not to sneak out. What had she done? Sneak out. He didn't understand why she couldn't just listen.

"That." Abigail stiffened at the sharp tone his voice had taken. "Was…" he curbed his tone and she slowly looked to him. "Very foolish Abigail."

"I've snuck out before-."

"Yes but you've never gone this far before and may I remind you the last time you snuck out of a place you were staying you took a bottle of Vicodin and slit your own throat."

"Wouldn't have slit my own throat if you hadn't brought me back to the hospital to get my stomach pumped-."

"I saved your life." Her jaw clenched. "How did you get to Wills?"

"I walked most of the way."

"And the rest?"

"I got a cab."

"How did you get a cab when you have no money and no cellphone?" Her jaw clenched.

"A wink and a smile." He slammed on his brakes.

"Don't." she looked to him to see his eyes darkening. "Don't lie to me young lady."

"I hitch hiked." She said her jaw clenching.

"You hitch-. Do you know how dangerous that is!?"

"I don't need this." She got out of the car.

"Abigail you get back in the car." He said getting out as she walked away. "Abigail-."

"No!" She yelled turning on him. "You lied to me!" her voice cut through the cold air. "I never lie to you and you lied to me!"

"You just lied to me in the car-."

"Because you had lied to me." His jaw clenched. "Before that I never did, maybe I hid the truth yes about what I had done with my dad, what we had done together, but I never outwardly lied to your face. How can I trust you with my life if you can't trust me with yours?"

"What can you do for me?" He asked.

"Oh I don't know I got my ass kicked for you earlier today trying to save your ass!"

"Language Abigail." Her jaw clenched.

"What do you want from me?" She asked walking to him. "Hmm what is it you want from me?"

"Well for one I don't want you to use foul language and hitch hike… Do you have any idea what could have happened?"

"Yeah I could have gotten into a car with someone like you." His jaw clenched. "Or someone like me for that matter…" She looked off. "I can't trust you if you can't trust me…"

"I called the house that day." She slowly looked to him. Hannibal's jaw clenched. As he had expected there it was. Betrayal. Right in her eyes. Staring into his.

"Why?" She asked as she felt anger rise up into her chest.

"It was a courtesy call…"

"Always… So polite." She said her jaw clenching as she walked up to him. "Aren't you?" She brushed passed him and got into the car closing the door harshly. Hannibal took a breath as he looked down the road. It was going to be a long silent trip home he could tell. He wondered what would happen now. How Abigail would act towards him. It was then he knew he didn't want how she acted towards him to change. He walked to the car and slowly got in. He closed the door and put on his seat belt as he stared out at the road.

"Sometimes I wonder what would happen if I had just let my dad kill me that first night he showed me one of his victims… Sometimes I wonder what would happen if I had just turned myself in when I killed Nicholas Boil instead of letting you help me hide the body." He looked to her. "I hate you."

"No… You don't." She looked to him her jaw clenching. "I was just trying to protect you and your father with that call… I didn't think he'd do what he did, I just thought he'd hide any evidence."

"You're a brilliant man don't act stupid it's unbecoming." He stared at her for a long moment. "You knew exactly what was going to happen…"

"I didn't know he'd try to kill you."

"Drive… Please." He slowly revved the engine.

"I was trying to protect you…"

"I can't talk to you right now… Please respect that." He slowly nodded as he began to drive off.

-o-

When they got to the house Abigail quickly got out and walked up to the door. She unlocked it before rushing inside and heading up the stairs to her bedroom. Hannibal walked up the stairs and stopped at the top to stare down the hallway at her door. He bowed his head for a moment.

"_I can't talk to you right now… Please respect that."_

"Hopefully she'll talk soon." He said as he walked to his room. He sat down on the edge of the bed and stared at the wall before him not knowing that just down the hall Abigail was doing the same in her room. Both didn't come out of their bedrooms not until the night of the day which had started sour had fallen. Hannibal stood in the kitchen preparing a meal. One he hoped Abigail would share with him. He heard a noise and looked up to see Abigail standing in the doorway her eyes locked on his.

"I cancelled all your appointments for the next week." She said. "After calling the security company and furniture delivery service they said it would take that long to conclude the orders you requested."

"You didn't have to do that."

"I'm your secretary so yeah I did."

"You're more than that."

"Just wanted to let you know." She said before turning to walk out.

"Abigail?" Hannibal asked walking around the corner. "I am sorry for the phone call." She stopped walking as her head bowed forward.

"I don't want to talk about it." She said. "Ever."

"I can respect that…" He said. "What I cannot respect is the divide that has come between us…"

"You're the one who put it there so it's not my problem."

"What would fix it?" he asked and she slowly turned to him. "What can I get you-."

"You can't buy my trust back Hannibal." She said and he slowly nodded.

"Then what can I do?"

"You could start being completely honest with me as I have been with you."

"I can be honest with you… Eventually…" her jaw clenched. "Abigail you must understand." He said walking to her. "I've been on my own for many years… I don't know how to share that part of myself with anyone but myself…" She looked him over. "So you have to be patient with me. As I was with you in the beginning." She shifted on her feet.

"Fine."

"Fine?" he asked and she smiled.

"Fine." She said.

"No more sneaking out." He said with a point and she smiled more.

"Fine but I want to visit Will more."

"And we can make that happen." He said walking away.

"You know that phone call did result in the slashing of my throat…" She said following him and he turned to look at her. "Maybe you should buy my trust back…" She said with a wicked smile.

"What are you thinking?"

"I want diamonds, like a lot, like enough to fill my antique bathtub." He smiled. "And rubies, the jem not the currency." He laughed.

"Rubles are the currency Abigail."

"Well I don't want those." He smiled. "Also pearls, a lot of them."

"I'll try and make it happen, so just one bathtub of Diamonds?" He asked and she shrugged while nodding.

"Yeah I'm not greedy." She said and he laughed again, glad that they were on track once more. Abigail was a very forgiving person, and in some ways he was scared of how forgiving she could be. He was worried someday someone may take advantage of it.

_Like I am now…_


End file.
